Taiwan presents smart healthcare applications at Berlin seminar

台灣在柏林研討會上展示人工智慧醫療應用

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) presented Taiwan’s smart healthcare applications and AI-driven medical technologies at a seminar in Berlin hosted by the Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany, highlighting Taiwan’s healthcare strengths and calling for deeper cooperation with Germany.

Despite being excluded from the World Health Assembly for 10 consecutive years, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Shih led a delegation earlier this month to hold a medical and health technology exhibition in Geneva ahead of the WHA, demonstrating Taiwan’s capacity to contribute to global healthcare practices.

Shih said the seminar brought together medical experts from Taiwan, the US, and Germany in a significant exchange. He noted that many countries are facing emerging infectious disease threats, healthcare workforce shortages, and aging populations, underscoring the need for healthcare system reform, per CNA.

Shih said AI technology can help enable the sharing of medical records across hospitals. He added that the Ministry of Health and Welfare has supported major local hospitals in setting up standardized medical data formats, data exchange rules, validation systems, and a platform to improve cross-hospital record interoperability.

The ministry also plans to use AI technology to integrate treatment records, CT scan reports, and pathology results into summaries to improve clinical efficiency, Shih added.

The government has introduced AI technology to monitor global infectious disease trends. It has also deployed AI-powered platforms for telemedicine and smart care services to help address healthcare workforce shortages.

To strengthen pharmaceutical supply resilience, Shih said Taiwan has launched a four-year program to boost the supply of medicines such as antibiotics and insulin. Taiwan is also working with international partners to reduce reliance on China and India for key raw materials, which account for more than half of the global supply.

Shih said he saw stronger support from European countries for Taiwan’s participation in international health affairs during his visits to Geneva and Berlin. He added that some European nations also expressed interest in cooperating with Taiwan on healthcare advancement.