Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and AstraZeneca Thailand just strengthened their partnership aimed at promoting the adoption of digital healthcare innovation, improving Thailand’s healthcare system, and expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology for initial lung cancer screening and expand the results to other types of cancer screening.
The collaboration aims to work with a network of hospitals to serve more than one million people across the country, with a plan to expand service opportunities in remote areas and hospitals where it is necessary to reduce the cost of health check-up services.
In effect, the shortage of healthcare personnel, the increasing number of elderly people, and the rise of emerging diseases, pose significant challenges to Thailand’s current public health system. These also affect the economy and society of the nation.
Back in 2021, depa signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AstraZeneca Thailand on the first project to develop the digital healthcare industry and innovation. This was the launch of the pilot project “Don’t Wait. Get Checked” campaign in collaboration with Banphaeo General Hospital, by applying artificial intelligence technology to screen for early lung cancer in more than 10,000 patients. The other achievement includes collaborating with the Thoracic Society of Thailand to develop “Asthma Excellence,” a smartphone application that accumulates data about asthma treatment. In recent years, more than 3,000 healthcare professionals nationwide have used the application to facilitate and enhance patient care.
(Source: AstraZeneca)
