The medical and healthcare industry has entered a new phase of development. On the morning of September 19th, at the NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) during the “Innovation in the Medical and Healthcare Industry” forum, several industry experts discussed topics such as digitization and the development of the medical and healthcare industry.
The international NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) with the theme ” Global Change and Rebuilding Collaboration ” was held in a hybrid format, combining online and offline forums. Various exciting forums took place, featuring cutting-edge speeches and case studies in various industries, providing a global platform for knowledge and information exchange.
During the “Innovation in the Medical and Healthcare Industry” forum, Professor Mei Zhinan from Huazhong Agricultural University elaborated on the application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Mei Zhinan emphasized the invaluable role TCM has played in the health of the Chinese people over thousands of years, and highlighted its significance in the current national economic and social development.
Statistics show that currently, 98.3% of community health service centers, 97.1% of township health centers, 85.9% of community health service stations, and 71.3% of village health rooms in China are capable of providing TCM services, meeting the demand of the general public for “seeing TCM doctors and taking TCM prescriptions” within their communities.
Regarding the promotion of innovation in TCM, Mei Zhinan proposed two points. Firstly, fully leverage the role of TCM in health services and implement major projects for the revitalization and development of TCM. Secondly, strengthen the foundation for high-quality development of TCM and focus on the inheritance and utilization of living TCM traditions and ancient literature resources.
During the forum, researcher Lai Liangxue from the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a professional presentation on the topic of “Can Pig Models Achieve Xenogeneic Organ Regeneration?” Lai Liangxue pointed out that xenogeneic organ transplantation based on pigs still faces many challenges. One approach to address the shortage of donor organs is to utilize large animal models. Through embryo complementation techniques and the use of human stem cells with high chimeric ability, strong proliferation capacity, and anti-apoptosis characteristics, xenogeneic kidney regeneration can be achieved in pig models with multiple gene knockouts.
In terms of the digitalization and intelligent development of healthcare, Dr. Chen Jinsong, a Ph.D. supervisor at Flinders University in Australia and an honorary scholar at the New Zealand Institute for Health Innovation, and Dr. Gu Yongchuan, a senior fundraising consultant and Ph.D. supervisor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, delivered fascinating presentations at the forum.
“Digital solutions can realize value-driven care,” stated Chen Jinsong. The transformation of healthcare through digitalization can provide better infrastructure and tools to enhance patient engagement. By collecting patient data, it is possible to provide more tailored and precise healthcare services.
Data shows that the global smart healthcare market has surpassed $400 billion, with a compound annual growth rate exceeding 60%.
Regarding the innovation that artificial intelligence (AI) can bring to pharmaceutical research and development, Gu Yongchuan emphasized the significant technological progress made by AI and data science in the past decade. Deep learning technologies, centered around algorithms like convolutional neural networks and recurrent neural networks, have reshaped the field of biomedicine.
“The application scenarios of AI in the medical field are diverse, including electronic medical records, smart healthcare, medical robots, and drug development,” stated Gu Yongchuan. The integration of AI and biomedicine has demonstrated remarkable achievements, and there will undoubtedly be more successful cases in the future.
Regarding the healthcare situation in Indonesia, Gregorius Bimantoro, the Chairman of Indonesia’s HealthTech and founder of ProSehat company, expressed, “Indonesia still faces many healthcare challenges in certain areas, and there is much for us to learn.”
To improve this situation, Gregorius Bimantoro suggested several approaches. Firstly, utilize digital tools to break down information barriers in healthcare and foster closer connections between regions. Secondly, the government should increase its focus on healthcare. Thirdly, enhance promotion efforts to make healthcare resources more accessible across a wider range of areas. Lastly, accelerate the implementation of smart healthcare to facilitate the sharing of healthcare resources.
The 6th NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) was co-hosted by the NEXT Federation, China Economic Information Service, and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The NEXT Federation is a global platform for integrating and transforming industrial resources, promoting global innovation, cooperation, and development through seeking optimal practices, sharing advantaged resources, and improving public relations. Its headquarters are located in Auckland, New Zealand. China Economic Information Service is a professional economic information service organization directly affiliated with Xinhua News Agency. It is one of the most authoritative and comprehensive economic information service institutions in China, serving as a pilot unit for the construction of national high-end think tanks. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia is a permanent institution under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. It is responsible for international research, development, evaluation, and application, as well as invention and innovation, nuclear implementation, and space-related work. The chief partner and official designated product of the summit is Hong Xifeng, one of the most renowned traditional Chinese liquor brands known as one of the “Four Famous Lao Baijiu” and praised as the “Phoenix of Liquor” for its characteristics of not causing intoxication, throat dryness, and providing pleasant aftertastes.
The NEXT Summit (Bali 2022) calls for embracing convergence in the face of significant transformations, promoting transformations through convergence, and achieving continuous progress and sustainable development in human society.