Using AI to tackle Type 2 diabetes in Taiwan
Diabetes is an international healthcare crisis impacting hundreds of millions of people, causing one death every nine seconds. In 2024 alone, diabetes care was estimated to have cost global healthcare systems more than USD$1 trillion. With rates on the rise, the Taiwanese government is collaborating with Google for Health and Google Cloud to use AI to transform the way healthcare for people with type 2 diabetes is delivered.
Transforming Healthcare with AI
Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) is leading the initiative, using Gemini and Google Cloud tools to personalize care for 1.3 million Taiwanese living with type 2 diabetes. The goal is to reach over two million individuals by 2026. Type 2 diabetes affects approximately one in ten Taiwanese people but is preventable or reversible with the right lifestyle changes.
Diabetes rates have been on the rise over the years, presenting a significant cost burden on the nation's healthcare budget. The collaboration with Google enables NHIA to leverage AI to analyze two decades of NHIA tests, health claims, and insurance data to provide personalized treatment plans.
AI-on-DM Initiative
The first initiative, AI-on-DM (Artificial Intelligence for Diabetes Mellitus), is built on Google Cloud and categorizes individuals based on the severity of their condition. This categorization is integrated into the government's Universal Family Physician Program 2.0, offering customized planning and care based on the individual’s risk assessment.
Gemini-based AI Agent
The second initiative involves a Gemini-based AI agent integrated into the Taiwan My Health Bank app. This AI agent uses authoritative diabetes content to provide personalized guidance to individuals on their health journey.
Advancing Healthcare Funding Model
The integration of Google AI in Taiwan's national healthcare system aligns with a transformative healthcare funding model called value-based care. This model distributes healthcare funding based on individual needs and focuses on improving health outcomes. By using AI at a national scale, Taiwan is accelerating its transition to a preventive healthcare model that enhances the efficiency and quality of healthcare delivery.
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