Technology is set to play a greater part in diagnosis and treatment, as Wang Xiaodong reports. China will promote the application of artificial intelligence technologies in the healthcare sector to improve services for patients, especially at the grassroots level, according to the nation's top health authority. "Further improving the quality and efficiency of medical care is an important task for health authorities," said a statement released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. "Practices at home and abroad have proved that intensified application of AI in assisted medical care can effectively increase the efficiency of services and provide-patients with convenient access. In particular, the application of AI can be an effective means of improving the capabilities of grassroots medical care providers and promote equality in the services offered," the statement said. In China, AI technologies are being used in a number of areas, including remote care services, assisting diagnosis and treatment, and improving health management through wearable devices, according to the commission. Globally, AI is being used widely in healthcare, including disease prevention, health management, assisted diagnosis and the management of chronic diseases. It is also growing rapidly in areas such as the research and development of drugs, dietetics and the management of emergency centers and hospitals, the statement added. The commission has published a range of guidelines and rulings to promote and regulate the development of AI so the technology will contribute to the establishment of a tiered healthcare system and help improve services. According to a guideline on the development of AI released in July by the State Council, China's Cabinet, the government will encourage the innovative application of the technology in healthcare and elderly care to provide customized, diverse and high-quality services. A report published by Yiou Intelligence, a technology think tank in Beijing, shows that by the end of July, 131 companies were engaged in developing and researching AI for healthcare, and 76 percent of them were in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Evidence-based work Zhang Xiaochun, an oncologist at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University in Shandong province, is placing greater emphasis on the use of a platform called Watson for Oncology, developed at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Zhang, who is also vice-president of the university's medical group, uses the cognitive computing platform to provide oncologists with evidence-based treatment options. Since the platform was introduced in April, it has become an effective aid for the treatment of Zhang's patients. Treatment options for lung cancer patients recommended by the platform are more than 96 percent consistent with those offered by the hospital's experts. Watson for Oncology entered the Chinese mainland in March, when its maker, the US technology company IBM, signed a partnership agreement with Baheal Pharm, an e-health company in Beijing, to introduce it to the nation's medical institutions. The platform can identify personalized treatment options, has access to oncological expertise and draws knowledge from more than 300 medical journals, 250 textbooks and nearly 15 million pages of text, IBM said. It also ranks evidence-based treatment options by linking to peer-reviewed studies and clinical guidelines. The platform, which has the ability to learn, has been designed to assist clinicians in developing treatment plans for breast, lung, colorectal, cervical, ovarian, gastric and prostate cancers, according to IBM. Zhang said when she used the platform to change a drug prescription for a lung cancer patient in Beijing, the patient's tumor reduced. "The system can provide patients with standardized, precise treatment options," she added. However, she noted that the system is not yet fully mature and is unsuitable for patients with related serious problems, such as those who have developed a resistance to certain drugs. "I think it may be more useful in grassroots hospitals in rural areas to guide doctors in the treatment of cancer," she said. Zhang added that the platform can also be used to provide general training for younger, less-experienced physicians. According to Baheal Pharm, Watson for Oncology has been used in 24 hospitals in 18 cities, including Qingdao, Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, and Nanjing in Jiangsu province. Fu Gang, Baheal Pharm's chairman, hopes the platform will be promoted in more grassroots hospitals to aid treatment. "Although doctors at large hospitals in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai can provide quality medical care for cancer patients, many establishments in smaller cities and counties are unable to provide standardized treatments," he said. Online diagnosis A key task in the nation's ongoing healthcare reform is the improvement of the distribution of medical resources to establish a tiered system. Large hospitals in cities usually have better facilities and higher-level medical talent, so they are usually crowded, which has prompted widespread dissatisfaction among patients. Currently, hospitals and companies are developing a range of decision-making systems that use artificial intelligence to assist with diagnosis and treatment. For example, the Second Xiangya Hospital at the Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, has joined with Danale, a technology company in Shenzhen, to develop an online service that diagnoses skin conditions. The service uses an app that works via WeChat, whereby patients upload a photo of the affected area of skin, which is scanned and evaluated via AI. The app then combs through its data banks and provides a list of possible diagnoses. According to the hospital, initial tests suggest that the app is capable of diagnosing lupus, a rare skin disease, with 85 percent accuracy. "The technology will be used to assist with the diagnosis of common skin complaints, especially at grassroots clinics, and will provide guidance for patients," said Lu Qianjin, director of the hospital's dermatology department. Moreover, in October last year, the internet company Baidu launched an online medical advisory platform to aid diagnoses at grassroots medical institutions. When patients input a question, the platform, which stores large amounts of medical data, can provide a range of possible diagnoses. In August, six robots were introduced in the clinical hall of the Harbin First Hospital, Heilongjiang province, to answer simple questions, such as telling patients the way to certain departments. The robots can also provide soothing music to help patients relax as they wait for consultations, the hospital said. New challenges Jiang Zefei, a breast cancer specialist at Beijing No 307 Hospital, said the use of AI will provide more precise and effective diagnoses and treatment, relieving the burden on physicians and benefitting patients. "However, I don't think AI will ever fully replace doctors because humans have emotions and need real communication. Only doctors can provide those things," he said. The National Health and Family Planning Commission said the growing use of AI is benefiting patients and doctors, but in-depth use of the technology poses new challenges to ensure the effectiveness of medical care and control patient risks. The commission said it is committed to overseeing amendments to the relevant laws and regulations that will encourage medical institutions and companies working in the sector to use information technology to improve the services on offer while reducing risks and ensuring that patient privacy is fully respected. rubber bracelets cheap24 hour wristbandsdesign your own wristbandsilicone keychaincustom rubber wristbandscustom livestrong braceletsadjustable wristbandscustom rubber band bracelets
Highlights: * 62 homes buried, 93 missing after landside in Maoxian county * Fifteen people found dead * More than 1,000 rescue and medical staff members rushed to the site * A couple and their one-month-old baby rescued and taken to the hospital * Experts say the landslide was triggered by rainfall Update: By 2 pm on Sunday, 93 people were still missing after a landslide buried more than 120 people from 62 homes at a village of Xinmo in Southwest China's Sichuan province early Saturday. Diexi primary school and the Baila Hotel are set as temporary shelters to relocate more than 300 victims, said Xu Zhiwen, executive deputy governor of the Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture of Aba, where the landslide stuck. Authorities reduced the number of missing after confirming the safety of 15 people directly or through relatives, accordingto the official microblog for Xinmo's publicity department. Rescuers had retrieved 15 bodies from the debris by 10 p.m. Saturday, the rescue headquarters said. The search and rescue operation was underway overnight and experts have been sent to examine potential secondary disasters. Full story: Rescue operation underway in Maoxian county, Sichuan province, on June 24, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily] President Xi Jinping asked rescuers to make all-out efforts to search and rescue people after a landslide buried 62 homes in Maoxian county, Sichuan province, on Saturday morning. Premier Li Keqiang also gave instructions to the rescue work. The landslide from a high part of a mountain in Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture smashed into Xinmo village at about 6 am, burying 1,600 meters of road, blocking a 2-kilometers section of a river and leaving 112 missing. Firefighters discovered six bodies in the debris this afternoon, according to local authorities. Family members of the missing people and those suffering losses in the disaster must be given appropriate care, Xi said. A team from the State Council has been dispatched to the landslide site to lead the rescue operations. Experts say the landslide was triggered by rainfall, after an onsite investigation, according to the province's official website. Sichuan provincial government launched the highest level of disaster relief response available, and instructed rescue teams to the site immediately, including 25 armed police officers early on Saturday, with an additional 100 arriving at 11 am. An onsite provincial-level rescue headquarters has been established to lead rescue operations and an emergency communication system has put into operation at the disaster area. More than 1,000 firefighters, medical staff and armed police officers have rushed to attend to the victims. The rescue and medical staff team attending to the site include heavy and light-duty rescue teams. A vehicle with satellite equipment and a drone are also being used at the disaster zone. The civil affairs bureau of Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture has sent 20 tents, 400 quilts, two electric generators and 400 sets of clothes to the site. The provincial government asked privately owned vehicles to avoid the disaster area to ensure smooth operation of the rescue work. According to publicity officials of Maoxian country, a couple and their one-month-old baby were rescued and taken to local hospital. According to the weather department, more rainfall is expected in the next three days, which is expected to hamper the rescue effort.
