Government should embrace innovation in health care sector, industry members say at ‘Redefining Hong Kong Debate Series’
- Speakers on panel urge authorities to make progress in harnessing artificial intelligence for patient care, or roll out apps to match users with doctors
- Such technologies are already available on mainland, with industry insiders saying city risks stagnating if it remains constrained by regulatory framework
Hong Kong’s government should be more open-minded and realise the urgency of innovation in the health care sector, representatives from the medical and pharmaceutical industries said on Wednesday.
They were speaking on a panel at the latest edition of the “Redefining Hong Kong Debate Series”, a forum held in Central and organised by the South China Morning Post.
Speakers envisioned Hong Kong in the next five years to make progress in health care technology, such as harnessing artificial intelligence to interpret imaging scans, or rolling out Uber-like mobile apps to match patients with doctors – a service already available in mainland China.
The Hong Kong government has set out policy directions to encourage technological development in health care in recent years, including the setting up of a big data analytics platform under the Hospital Authority. This initiative includes establishing a health technologies research cluster in Science Park, and encouraging a smart hospital approach.
But speakers at the forum on Wednesday urged stakeholders, including the government, to do more for innovation.
