Vietnam – Taiwan Cooperation: Promoting Smart Hospital Development and AI Applications in Medicine

Recently, the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital (VNCH) welcomed and worked with a delegation of experts from the Taiwan Medical Database Association to conduct a site survey, exchange ideas, and share experiences in building smart hospital models and applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical examination and treatment.

This was a valuable opportunity for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in healthcare technology.

The Taiwanese expert delegation included leading professors and physicians with expertise in key areas such as public health policy, smart hospital planning and management, data science, and especially AI development in medicine.

A representative of the VNCH Information Technology Department presented an overview of the hospital’s IT development strategy.

Prof. Dr. Hung Chi-Hsiung – former Legislative Member and President of the Taiwan Economic and Industrial Research Association, head of the expert delegation – highly appreciated the significance of the meeting: “Before coming here, in previous meetings with Vietnam’s Government and Ministry of Health leaders, we were introduced to the important role and position of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital. After listening to the presentation, we believe the hospital has great potential to develop smart hospital systems, AI applications, and digital health transformation.”

Prof. Dr. Hung Chi-Hsiung praised the hospital’s technical capacity and IT infrastructure.

The Taiwanese experts were also impressed by VNCH’s professional achievements and efforts in digital transformation, particularly the integration of IT in clinical and administrative processes.

On behalf of the hospital leadership, Dr. Cao Viet Tung – Deputy Director – emphasized that this was a valuable opportunity to learn from Taiwan’s experience. As the leading pediatric hospital in Vietnam, receiving and treating around 1.2 million child patients annually, VNCH fully understands the importance of leveraging technology to enhance diagnostic and treatment quality.

Dr. Cao Viet Tung stated:“Today, having technological tools to support physicians in clinical decision-making is critical. Therefore, alongside our focus on clinical expertise, we are also investing in IT infrastructure, seeking partnerships, and mapping out future implementation plans. Our hospital possesses well-trained personnel and modern equipment, which generate a rich source of data. The challenge is how to standardize and utilize that data effectively.”

He also highlighted that with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Dien – Director of the Hospital – currently serving as President of the Vietnam Pediatric Association, VNCH has a strong advantage in promoting and disseminating advanced technological models across the national pediatric healthcare network.

VNCH expressed its desire to learn from Taiwan’s expertise in hospital operations management, smart hospital development, and particularly the establishment of standardized pediatric data platforms. The hospital specifically proposed applying AI in areas such as medical imaging, cardiology, and ENT (ear, nose, and throat), to assist doctors in making faster and more accurate diagnoses.

In response, the Taiwanese experts shared that AI applications in those fields have already been successfully developed and implemented in Taiwan. They affirmed their readiness to share experiences in building pediatric data systems and developing specialized AI solutions.

The meeting took place in a constructive and positive atmosphere, achieving many promising outcomes.

The delegation also shared specific cooperation plans for the near future, with the endorsement of Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare. These include organizing scientific conferences, offering training scholarships, and selecting Vietnamese hospitals for pilot implementation of standardized smart hospital models.

The Taiwanese delegation also toured several departments within the hospital.

In the context of digital transformation becoming an inevitable trend in healthcare, this meeting opened up promising opportunities for cooperation in smart hospital development. With its leading position in pediatrics, strong IT foundation, and highly qualified workforce, the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital is well-positioned to pioneer this model and lay the groundwork for expansion across the healthcare system—ultimately improving the quality of care for children across Vietnam.