Ministry of Health: Encouraging research and testing of artificial intelligence technology in healthcare.

trí tuệ nhân tạo - Ảnh 1. — Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc speaks about the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare - Photo: NT

At the conference "Health in the Age of AI" held at Gia An 115 Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) on January 14th, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc stated that artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has a direct impact on patients, contributing to improving the quality of healthcare and enhancing the quality of life for the people.

Currently, the Ministry of Health is strongly focusing on digital transformation, with a particular emphasis on building a healthcare data system. According to the plan, the Ministry is completing 26 specialized healthcare databases, while also developing separate databases for each professional association.

Specifically, each professional association, such as the Cardiology Association, the Immunology Association, the Oncology Association, the Musculoskeletal Association, etc., needs a systematic and standardized specialized database.

These databases not only directly serve individual professional fields but also act as a crucial foundation for the formation of a national health database, which is expected to be completed by 2026.

According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Tri Thuc, the most fundamental difference between AI and humans lies in their "heart." For humans, especially medical professionals, the core is not just knowledge or professional skills, but professional ethics and human values.

In practice, the biggest challenges in healthcare stem not only from techniques or technology, but also from ethical issues and responsibility towards patients.

"There are values that AI can never replace doctors in, namely conscience, responsibility, and profound empathy. Technology is created to serve humanity, but humans should not be completely dependent on or reliant on technology," Mr. Thuc said.

From a professional perspective, Mr. Nguyen Ngo Quang - Director of the Department of Science , Technology and Training (Ministry of Health) - stated that the prominent applications of AI in healthcare today include: disease diagnosis and prediction; supporting treatment and management of chronic diseases; medical training, etc.

In Vietnam, AI is being increasingly deployed in diverse ways in the healthcare sector. Many AI systems have been applied to analyze patient data and provide treatment recommendations, especially in the field of oncology.

AI technologies that automatically analyze MRI and CT images help detect abnormalities early, supporting doctors in making faster and more accurate decisions. In addition, robot-assisted surgery is also contributing to improved accuracy and safety in surgical procedures.

According to Mr. Quang, one of the major challenges currently is the limited availability of data for AI. The majority of medical data exists in unstructured form, including images, videos, audio, and free-form text, which has not been standardized or systematically organized, making it difficult to use directly in training AI models.

In the coming period, AI will be more deeply integrated into management, administration, and the provision of online public services. The Ministry of Health calls on all units to implement the principle of "Artificial Intelligence first," aiming to streamline administrative procedures, improve work efficiency, and enhance the quality of service to the people.

Simultaneously, the Ministry places special emphasis on developing scientific research and innovation in AI in healthcare. Programs encouraging research and testing of AI technology will be widely implemented, while policy and financial support will be strengthened through the National Artificial Intelligence Development Fund and other funding sources.

In addition to focusing on domestic operations, the Ministry of Health is also promoting international cooperation and public-private partnerships in the field of AI. The development and expansion of a network of medical AI experts domestically and internationally will be strengthened, along with collaborative research programs with leading universities and research institutes worldwide.

Ms. Tran Thi Lam - Founder of Hoa Lam Group, Head of the Strategy Board of the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Medical Zone - believes that artificial intelligence is already present in every decision, every system, and every method of healthcare for people.

"However, the most important question remains how technology can serve humanity, rather than allowing humanity to be overwhelmed by technology," she emphasized.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bo-y-te-khuyen-khich-nghien-thu-nghiem-cong-nghe-tri-tue-nhan-tao-trong-y-te-20260114150803364.htm