Remote surgery, holographic medical imaging, mixed reality and patient tracking are some of the emerging 5G-powered healthcare innovations in the Asia Pacific region.
Dr. Gao Yujia, assistant group CTO of National University Health System; William Chan, CIO of tthe Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Center; Chien-Chang (Paul) Lee, Chief Medical Information Officer, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan; and Terence Wong, Head of APAC 5G Industry at GSM Association, Hong Kong sat together in a speaker and panel session: “Exploring the Power of 5G” workshop at HIMSS24 APAC.
The value proposition of 5G
5G distinguishes itself as a wireless network with connectivity that can bridge large distances. Even with the rise of newer network iterations such as WiFi 6, Dr. Gao believes that 5G will still be a dominant force for healthcare connectivity.
“WiFi is still a local network – it is only (usable) within the hospital itself, no matter how fast (the speeds)… Remote patient monitoring and connected ambulances cannot be done with WiFi.”
GSMA’s Wong agrees with this belief: ‘WiFi is aimed at consumers and not designed for large-scale critical communications. You’re fine if WiFi disappears, but 5G is intended to support Industry 4.0. end latency that may not be as present in WiFi.”
Do digitally native hospitals have an advantage over traditional hospitals in 5G adoption?
If Hong Kong’s first smart hospital, CUHK Medical Center, addressed common technology challenges with its 3-in-1 smart strategy adopted since its inception: smart care, smart medicine and smart management.
In addition to its digital accolades, CUHK also became the first fully converted 5G hospital in Hong Kong.
“Our operating rooms all have 5G-powered devices and interfaces that support remote training and consultation. We are holding training sessions for (medical) students who can communicate directly with doctors and surgeons in operating rooms via 5G,” says CIO Chan of the CUHK Medical Center.
In contrast, NUHS faced several challenges in building a dedicated 5G network. “NUHS is more than 40 years old… It was difficult to lay cables due to the limited dimensions, as the current, outdated systems take up space. (Builders) worked on weekends and at night to install the installations in operating rooms to perform, which required a lot of coordination between the operating rooms and doctors,” Dr. Gao recalled.
Nevertheless, 5G networks, when installed, led to innovation for NUHS – especially with holomedicine, a multi-layer solution that combines holographic medical imaging, AI and high-speed connectivity during real-time surgical procedures.
Dr. Gao explained this innovation: “We could place a CT scan on the patient itself and use it to guide the operation (in real time), going directly to the area of interest. Previously, we had to place the camera on the patient. to see if we were in the right room. We save 30-45 minutes of operating time and potential complications that patients may have.”
“This type of technology requires a lot of computing power and data transmission. To bring this together you need an integrated network (such as 5G).”
Bridging gaps in access and adoption
Enabling remote medical procedures and training could be critical to treating patients in rural areas.
Paul Lee of Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare explained how 5G connectivity can bridge the capacity of urban hospitals with remote areas in need – helping to almost eliminating stomach cancer cases among residents of Matsu Island.
“About 20 years ago, we had a national cancer screening, where we found that Matsu had a high prevalence of stomach cancer. (With improved connectivity), a gastroenterologist from National Taiwan University will visit Matsu Island monthly. After 10 years, the frequencies of stomach cancer (on the island) had dropped to zero.”
Patient health outcomes were the overarching factor in determining whether public-private partnerships can optimize 5G adoption in healthcare.
“We need to build regulatory infrastructures (for 5G adoption). In Taiwan, we are working on a cloud template for hospitals to ensure that providers cannot make secondary use of data without permission from the hospitals. We need clearer applications that show the real clinical benefits, not just of the technology or surgical benefit, but also of real benefits for the patients that can make a difference.”
Chan added: “Ultimately, we need to be clear about the purpose (of a 5G-powered solution): will this technology help or harm the patient?”