Chinese authorities call for broader AI application in health sector

BEIJING -- China's National Health Commission and four other authorities have called for the broader application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country's health sector over the coming years, according to a document released by all five authorities and made public on Tuesday.

By 2030, intelligent diagnosis and treatment assistance will be universal in basic terms across China's primary-level medical institutions, including community and village clinics, per a goal set out in the document.

Meanwhile, hospitals at or above the second grade in China's three-tier hospital system will widely adopt AI technologies such as intelligent medical-imaging diagnosis and clinical decision-making support technologies.

The document also suggests expanded AI use in patient services, enabling hospitals to offer integrated intelligent services throughout the entire treatment process, including precise appointment-scheduling, triage, and pre-diagnosis and follow-up services.

Additionally, China plans to upgrade its intelligent epidemiological investigation systems to provide real-time, precise support for infectious disease prevention and control decision-making, according to the document.