[The Future of Medical AX] ③ Sharper Than Doctors' Eyes... AI Filling Healthcare Gaps in Regional Hospitals

From Endoscopy to Emergency CT Analysis
Ward Monitoring and Beyond
A Practical Solution Amid Aging Population and Staff Shortages
Building a Patient Safety-Centered Regional Hospital

Editor's NoteKorea's healthcare system stands at a major turning point. The entry into a super-aged society, the rise of chronic diseases, the shortage of essential medical personnel, and the widening gap in regional healthcare are challenges that cannot be solved by the existing system alone. Both the government and the medical community are now focusing on "Medical AX (AI Transformation)," a complete redesign of healthcare that goes beyond simply introducing artificial intelligence (AI). The goal is not just for AI to support or replace the roles of doctors, but to create a medical environment where anyone, regardless of region or income, can receive high-quality treatment. The Asia Business Daily examines how rapidly advancing AI is transforming the clinical setting and what changes it will bring to Korea’s healthcare system.

① From Diagnosis to Prescription in 3 Minutes... How AI is Changing the 'Golden Hour'

② "AI is a Technology That Lets Medical Staff Stay by Patients' Sides Longer"

③ Sharper Than Doctors' Eyes... AI Filling Healthcare Gaps in Regional Hospitals

④ "AI That Never Tires, the Best Navigation for Doctors"

⑤ "Receiving Seoul-Level Care Even in Rural Areas"... Why the Government Is Rolling Up Its Sleeves for Medical AI

⑥ "Built a Supercar, but There’s No Road"... The Reality of Public Healthcare in the Provinces

⑦ Overcoming Gaps in Fees and Fragmented Data... The Conditions for Sustainable AX

Medical staff at Central Hospital are performing a colonoscopy using the AI endoscope 'Waymed Endo.' When the AI detects an abnormal lesion, its location is indicated on the monitor screen. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

"Oh? That could have been missed, but the AI found it first."

In the endoscopy room at Central Hospital located in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, the colonoscopy camera moved slowly, and a yellow marker appeared on the screen just as it passed a certain spot. When the doctor maneuvered the camera back for a closer look, a very small lesion, previously hidden behind a fine fold of the colon, was revealed. The AI-powered endoscope detected an ultra-micro lesion that would have been extremely difficult to spot with the naked eye, no matter how closely one observed.

This hospital, which serves as a "comprehensive secondary general hospital" for the Siheung and Ansan regions, has been using a variety of medical AI solutions to treat patients since last year. The "Waymed Endo" by Waycen, used for endoscopic exams, analyzes real-time images of the stomach and colon to identify suspected polyps or cancerous areas. By analyzing lesion locations and probabilities based on learned data, the AI has increased the polyp detection rate (PD) by more than 13.7% compared to before. It is especially effective at detecting lesions hidden between folds or polyps that are quickly passed over, providing immediate alerts. The system supports medical staff in interpreting images during endoscopic procedures, and is credited with boosting both the accuracy and consistency of examinations.

In the emergency room, the AI solution "AVIEW Neuro CAD" by Coreline Soft is used to analyze brain CT images. When an emergency patient arrives, the AI automatically pinpoints suspected hemorrhage areas and analyzes the amount of bleeding, helping medical staff quickly assess the patient’s condition. Given the emergency room’s need to treat many patients in a short time, this solution helps prioritize and triage severe cases more efficiently.

Medical staff in the emergency room at Central Hospital are using an AI solution that analyzes brain CT images to check the condition of patients suspected of having brain hemorrhages. The AI automatically detects the suspected bleeding areas in the patient's brain and even analyzes the volume of the hemorrhage. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

In the inpatient ward of Central Hospital, medical staff utilize AI to monitor patients' vital signs in real time, 24 hours a day. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

In the inpatient ward, AI monitors patients' lives around the clock. "thynC," which Central Hospital has implemented for all its beds, collects and analyzes key vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation in real time via wearable devices worn by patients. If an abnormal sign is detected, an alert is sent immediately to medical staff, enabling preemptive action before the patient’s condition deteriorates. Won Younghee, head nurse at the hospital, explained, "We can check vital signs at night without waking patients, and the accumulated data allows us to see changes in their condition at a glance. This essentially expands the level of monitoring once limited to intensive care units to the general ward."

Additionally, the health examination center utilizes the "ANRISK" brain aneurysm risk assessment system and the "WISKY" retinal diagnosis platform. These are used for early identification of high-risk groups for major diseases that progress without symptoms, such as brain aneurysms, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.

Central Hospital’s active adoption of medical AI is not simply about keeping up with the latest equipment. Rather, it stems from the belief that, in an environment of an aging population, increasing chronic illnesses, and worsening medical staff shortages, AI is a practical solution that can enhance both patient safety and quality of care at the same time.

In particular, regional medical settings often require a limited number of staff to treat a large number of patients. These medical AI solutions help reduce repetitive work for the staff and improve diagnostic accuracy, enabling higher-quality care for more patients. The medical community expects that such changes can become a new model to fill future gaps in regional and essential healthcare.

Kim Byungkeun, chairman of Central Hospital, emphasized, "Advancements in AI greatly support rational decision-making by medical staff and make fast, accurate collaboration possible. By introducing AI systems, we are making the clinical environment even more patient-centered and strengthening our role as a leading regional hospital that prioritizes patient safety above all."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.