5G will drive the next evolutionary phase of healthcare in APAC
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, National University Health System; William Chan, CIO, CUHK Medical Center; Chien-Chang (Paul) Lee, Chief Medical Information Officer, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan; and Terence Wong, Head of APAC 5G Industry, GSM Association, Hong Kong sat together in a speaker and panel session”Workshop on exploring the power of 5G” 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 emergence of newer network versions such as Wi-Fi 6, Dr. Gao believes that 5G will still be a dominant force for healthcare connectivity.
“Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi.”
Terence Wong, Head of APAC 5G Industry, GSMA, agrees: “Wi-Fi is consumer-oriented and not designed for large-scale critical communications. You (a consumer) are fine with the WiFi going down, but 5G is meant to support Industry 4.0. Therefore, there is end-to-end latency that may not be as present with Wi-Fi.”
Do digitally native hospitals have an advantage over traditional hospitals in 5G adoption?
If Hong Kong’s first smart hospitalCUHK Medical Center has addressed common technology challenges with its 3-in-1 smart strategy implemented 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 William Chan, CIO, CUHK Medical Center.
In contrast, the National Hospital University Systems (NUHS) faced several challenges in building a dedicated 5G network.
“NUH is more than 40 years old… It was difficult to lay cables due to the limited dimensions, as the current outdated systems take up space.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 nights to carry out the installations in operating rooms, which required a lot of coordination between contractor and doctors,” Dr. Gao recalled.
Nevertheless, 5G networks, when installed, led to new innovation for NUHS – especially with holomedicinea multi-layered 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 (image) on the patient itself and use (that image) to guide the surgery (in real time), going directly to the area of interest. Previously we had to position the camera to see if we were in the right room (adding extra time and complications). We save 30-45 minutes of operating time and possible 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.
Chien-Chang (Paul) Lee, Chief Medical Information Officer 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 (Taiwan) 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 ten 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. As a veteran of Taiwan’s public healthcare system, Lee shared his thoughts.
“We (the government) need to set up 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 in technology or operations, but also 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?”