Taiwan aims for electronic medical record interoperability by year-end

Taiwan is on track to enable electronic medical record (EMR) interoperability among its major medical centers by the end of 2026, a significant step towards a more integrated healthcare system. Administrative Deputy Minister Wu Cheng-wen announced that the government's promotion of the FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard is expected to allow for seamless data exchange between hospitals within the year.

The initiative, a key focus of the Biotechnology Industry Strategy Advisory Committee (BTC) meetings, aims to provide patients with a comprehensive view of their medical history, regardless of where they receive treatment. By the end of 2027, the government hopes to extend this connectivity to regional hospitals. Looking further ahead, plans include linking data from clinics and care facilities to create a holistic health information network.

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From today onwards, for the three-day BTC meeting, the theme is 'Intelligent Biotech National Team: Medicine, Health, and Agriculture,' focusing on the integration of smart technologies in medicine, health, and agriculture.

This push for EMR interoperability is part of Taiwan's broader "AI New Ten Major Constructions" initiative, which seeks to integrate artificial intelligence and smart technologies across various sectors. In healthcare, AI is being applied to drug discovery and development, with the establishment of the Taiwan Preclinical Trial Alliance and connections to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Clinical Trial Center Alliance. The goal is to shorten the time from research to market for innovative medicines.

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With the Ministry of Health and Welfare's efforts, we hope to successfully connect regional hospital data by the end of next year, allowing citizens to view their complete treatment records from various hospitals in one place.

Government investment in the biotech and healthcare sectors is substantial. The National Development Fund is expected to invest in the Taiwan Health Network Platform, supporting the development of health information services. Furthermore, a 10-year, NT$10 billion (approximately $300 million USD) fund has been allocated to boost Taiwan's biomedical industry. This includes fostering cross-ministerial collaboration and integrating smart technology into agriculture, such as cold chain logistics.

Administrative Deputy Minister Wu Cheng-wen highlighted the government's commitment to accelerating drug approval processes, citing the early issuance of an ET drug license for PharmaEssentia as an example of Taiwan positioning itself as a first-mover market for global drug approvals. The overall investment in technology construction for the upcoming year is set at NT$40.6 billion for AI initiatives and NT$229.2 billion for broader technology development, marking a 12.7% increase from the previous year.

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The government has launched the AI New Ten Major Constructions, with the ultimate goal of enabling all citizens to apply AI technology and enter a smart living circle.