Stepping up AI use in health sector

On the afternoon of January 13, the Dong Nai Department of Health held a meeting on digital transformation, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, and proposals for synchronously deploying the healthcare sector’s database to the Provincial Intelligent Operations Center.

Dr. Le Quang Trung, Specialist Level II and Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Health, delivers remarks at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Tu

At the meeting, representatives from FPT Corporation presented nine AI-based solutions for the healthcare sector, designed to address hospital overcrowding, workforce shortages, complex administrative procedures, and improve the quality of medical examinations and treatments at healthcare facilities.

The proposed solutions include an innovative appointment scheduling system that uses AI and chatbots to help patients input symptoms, predict possible causes, generate draft medical records, and suggest suitable appointment times to reduce waiting times; an innovative registration coordination system utilizing QR codes and AI to automatically classify patients by symptoms, support quick navigation, and alleviate congestion at registration areas; and an AI-driven patient triage system that monitors patient flow, predicts real-time demand, and recommends the best examination sequences.

Other solutions include automated medical image quality control, where AI detects low-quality MRI, CT, or X-ray images and requests immediate retakes to save time and improve diagnostic accuracy; AI-assisted analysis and interpretation of diagnostic imaging to help physicians detect abnormalities earlier, reduce reading times, and improve diagnostic precision; and automated medical report drafting, where AI generates draft reports from test results and images for physicians to review and approve.

Additional applications include online delivery of medical examination and treatment results through digitization and integration with image archiving and transmission systems, enabling patients to receive results promptly and access remote consultations; AI-based verification of medical documents to detect errors, missing information, or anomalies in medical records, thereby reducing risks and losses; and an AI-powered hospital operations assistant that analyzes operational data, identifies bottlenecks, and proposes resource allocation solutions for hospital leadership.

According to Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Health, Le Quang Trung, both public and private healthcare facilities in the province are accelerating their digital transformation of healthcare through the implementation of electronic medical records, cashless payment systems, and innovative medical kiosks. Healthcare digital transformation is no longer an option but a mandatory requirement to improve the quality of medical services and enhance patient satisfaction. In addition, the application of AI in healthcare delivers short-term, medium-term, and long-term benefits, contributing to improved operational efficiency, better patient experiences, and comprehensive digital transformation of the healthcare sector.

The healthcare sector will continue to coordinate with relevant units to expedite the transfer of healthcare data to the Provincial Intelligent Operations Center. Accordingly, affiliated units are requested to develop specific plans and coordinate implementation in line with the prescribed schedule.

By Hanh Dung – Translated by Hong Van, Minho