The Institute for Intelligent Healthcare, Tsinghua University (清华大学智慧医疗研究院) was established in October 2020 as a joint endeavor between Tsinghua University and the Zhuhai People's Hospital Medical Group. It aims to integrate the rich resources of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (hereinafter referred to as the “Greater Bay Area") and the scientific expertise of Tsinghua University to jointly explore and study the development of intelligent healthcare. Through the research and development (R&D) and application of innovative smart medical technologies, it seeks to drive the high-quality development of the health industry, create a new ecosystem for intelligent healthcare, serve Zhuhai and the Greater Bay Area, and become a leader for the whole country.
The research institute acts on the Healthy China strategy by engaging in the R&D and application of innovative intelligent technologies to systematically improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare, promoting the high-quality development of the health industry, and creating a new intelligent health ecosystem to advance progress towards a healthier China and improve the health and well-being of mankind.
The Research Institute is committed to promoting all-round cooperation between Zhuhai Municipality and Tsinghua University in the field of intelligent healthcare. It aims to establish a national-level intelligent hospital demonstration base, promote the transformation of Tsinghua's scientific and technological achievements, and bring together and cultivate high-level talents. Through novel cooperation mechanisms, it strives to enhance government-industry-academia-research innovation and create an international innovation hub.
The research institute systematically advances mechanisms for organized scientific research management and implements full-lifecycle project management. "Intelligent medical care" has been included in the Tsinghua University 2030 Innovation Action Plan. It has funded 52 independent scientific research projects, including projects on precision surgery and life monitoring and support, and published over 50 papers. The institute has submitted applications for more than 20 patents and has led or participated in the drafting of over 20 guidelines, specifications, or standards. Additionally, it has received approval for more than 20 major national and provincial-level key projects, including the Chinese Academy of Engineering's first-ever brand consulting project, “Research on China's Digital Health Innovation and Development Strategy," the key project on the “Prevention and Treatment of Common and Prevalent Diseases” under the 14th Five-Year National Key Research and Development Program, key projects on the development of digital diagnosis and treatment equipment under the 14th Five-Year National Key Research and Development Program, of which the project "MRI-Compatible Brain Neuro-Puncture Intervention Robot" was named the "Flagship Project" for high-end medical devices by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission in 2023.
The institute has actively participated in the construction of the Clinical Science and Technology Issue Repository at Tsinghua University, building the repository in alignment with established standards and procedures. The Zhuhai People's Hospital provided 13 suggestions for the construction of the repository. In addition, the institute has achieved significant academic influence, with Professor Dong Jiahong serving as the editor-in-chief of Intelligent Medicine, for which the institute is involved as a co-organizer. The journal has been included in ESCI, Scopus, DOAJ, Ei Compendex databases, as well as CSCD and ScienceDirect platforms.
With the institute's support, the Chinese Academy of Engineering’s strategic research project on the development of a intelligent healthcare ecosystem under the Healthy China initiative completed its strategic planning. In 2022, the “China Intelligent Healthcare Blue Book” was published, followed by the publication of “Innovative Applications of Big Data in Healthcare” in 2023.” Additionally, the institute undertook the Chinese Academy of Engineering's first brand strategic research and consulting project, “Research on China's Digital Health Innovation and Development Strategy," which aims to explore innovative development paths in the field of digital health in China and provide strategic guidance for the country's digital transformation in healthcare.
Based on the Tsinghua Intelligent Healthcare System (THIS), the institute established an integrated smart healthcare service model both within and outside the institute. The model aims to provide personalized health services, integrate interdisciplinary medical engineering technologies and health technology products from Tsinghua University, and utilize technologies such as mobile internet, biosensing, Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop an intelligent regional healthcare system that spans across all demographics and stages of life.
A remote digital clinical research platform project supported by the institute has received numerous honors both domestically and internationally. These include the Gold Award at the 75th Nuremberg International Invention Exhibition in Germany, recognition as a 2023 National Enterprise Digital Transformation and Empowerment Outstanding Case, and being featured as one of the top 100 scientific and technological achievements at the 2023 Zhongguancun International Forum.
The institute will continue to uphold its philosophy of innovation-driven development and promote comprehensive cooperation between Tsinghua University and the Zhuhai People's Hospital in the field of intelligent healthcare. It will further advance the R&D and application of intelligent healthcare technologies, continuously enhancing innovative applications in this field. In the future, the institute will continue to advance mechanisms for organized research management, intensify research efforts on independent research projects, further expand the breadth and depth of medical-engineering integration, and promote interdisciplinary integration to establish new academic paradigms. Additionally, the institute will continue to promote talent exchange to attract more high-level talents to join the field of intelligent healthcare, in order to further advance academic research and technological innovation. Through these efforts, the institute will strive to usher in a new era for Tsinghua Medicine that reaches for new heights, serves the people, and benefits the nation, leveraging the strengths of Tsinghua University to achieve the strategic goal of a healthy China.
