Digital Excellence in Healthcare: APAC Case Studies Volume Four

Healthcare providers across Asia-Pacific (APAC) have started reaping the benefits of their investments in digital health during the pandemic. The most exceptional milestones in digital health in the region are featured in this fourth volume of the Digital Excellence in Healthcare: APAC Case Studies series.

The first case study centres on Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and how it was able to score the second highest globally in the 2022 HIMSS Digital Health Indicator (DHI) ranking. Also showcased here are the remarkable ways the hospital is leveraging digital pathology. For instance, its digital pathological slide management platform is able to save 680 hours each month in the online review of first-time cancer cases.

Far Eastern Memorial Hospital (FEMH) is another hospital we shine a spotlight on. It became the first hospital in the city to be validated under the new HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM), reaching Stage 6. FEMH demonstrated some noteworthy aspects of its medical system, including its early warning system that had helped reduce the incidence of in-hospital CPR from 0.27‰ in 2019 to 0.15‰ in 2022. Its implementation of closed-loop processes also allowed the hospital to achieve near-full completion rates in blood transfusion and breast milk administration.

Consistently featured in our issues is Samsung Medical Center (SMC), which received back-to-back international recognitions for its digital and technological capabilities last year. Not only did this South Korean hospital rank the highest in the 2022 DHI global ranking, but it also obtained two Stage 7 accreditations for the HIMSS EMRAM and Digital Imaging Adoption Model. SMC's case study highlights one of its ground-breaking projects, the Data-based Operation and Communication Center, which uses predictive modelling to optimise the allocation of medical resources and personnel. Among its benefits is enabling the hospital to conduct additional 500 surgeries each year.

Finally, we take a look at the work of Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN). Having the largest First Nations population of any Primary Health Network in Queensland, NQPHN is utilising digital technology to improve access to care. One such tool is the INCA integrated shared-care planning platform, which has helped improve communication between carers and family members. It has also empowered First Nations patients to comfortably give consent to sharing their information.

Get all the insights and strategies in Volume 4 of the DEHC.

If you are interested to feature your case study in future editions, contact Thiru.Gunasegaran@himss.org if you are a healthcare provider, or swoon@himss.org if you are a technology provider.