National Healthcare Group's AI Initiative
The National Healthcare Group (NHG) in Singapore is taking a significant step towards transforming its healthcare services by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its radiology workflow. This initiative focuses on enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of disease screening, particularly for lung and heart conditions, using AI technology.
Lunit INSIGHT CXR Pilot Program
Starting in October, the Lunit INSIGHT CXR solution will be piloted at the Geylang Polyclinic over a 10-month period. This AI system, developed by South Korea-based Lunit, is designed to assist radiologists in analyzing chest X-ray (CXR) images more efficiently. The findings from this pilot will guide the expansion of AI tools to other NHG polyclinics.
Importance of AI in Radiology
Traditionally, radiologists at NHG polyclinics have manually reviewed and interpreted CXR images. However, with increasing volumes of images, the integration of AI helps streamline this process. The AI solution can quickly identify abnormalities that may indicate heart or lung diseases, thus supporting radiologists in their critical work.
Tan Cher Heng, NHG’s Associate Professor and Chief Research and Innovation Officer, emphasized that using Lunit INSIGHT CXR as a triaging tool facilitates more efficient patient management by family physicians, potentially reducing wait times for further referrals or discharges.
Broader AI Integration Efforts
The AI implementation at NHG is part of a broader initiative funded by the National Health Innovation Centre Singapore. This effort is coordinated through AimSG, Singapore's national radiology AI platform, which promotes the adoption of validated AI imaging solutions in public healthcare.
AimSG's involvement has also supported AI integration at other major hospitals, including Singapore General Hospital and Changi General Hospital. The platform was developed in collaboration with Synapxe, NTT Data, and SingHealth to empower healthcare facilities with advanced diagnostic capabilities.
Lunit's Expanding Reach
Beyond Singapore, Lunit is expanding its presence globally. Earlier this year, the company secured a partnership with Samsung Electronics to incorporate its AI solutions into Samsung's premium X-ray machines. Lunit’s AI technology is also being adopted in national cancer screening programs and military units across the Asia-Pacific region.
This strategic move by NHG highlights the growing importance of AI in enhancing healthcare delivery, offering a glimpse into the future of medical diagnostics and patient care.
