Siriraj Hospital becomes ‘smart model’ with AI-powered innovation
Siriraj Hospital, Thailand’s oldest and largest medical institution, has adopted artificial intelligence (AI) and automation for the development of its smart medicine repository, including 5G self-driving vehicles within hospital grounds.
The project, called “AI Smart Logistics for 5G Smart Hospital”, is a collaboration between Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Engineering, and True Corporation Plc.
The goal is to turn Siriraj into a model “smart hospital” to help Thailand become a sustainable medical hub, sources said.
Assoc Prof Dr Cherdchai Nopmaneejumruslers, vice director of Siriraj Hospital, said its “smart hospital” development project involves the use of AI technology and 5G Cloud computing to improve the efficiency and quality of the hospital’s services.
“Siriraj Hospital aims to bring the best possible problem-free services to our patients. Unnecessary steps are being reduced to include the satisfaction of service users, with the adoption of innovations and digital technologies,” Cherdchai said.
According to the hospital executive, the project is funded by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). He said an important innovation from this project is a smart drug repository and transport system.
Siriraj is the main teaching hospital for Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine.
Assoc Prof Thanapat Wanichanon, dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering, said the system uses AI technology to manage the schedule of medicine deliveries within the hospital’s compound. He said this would result in more efficient, on-time and accurate deliveries, which in turn would improve the quality of medical services.
The dean said the project served as an example of cooperation between the two faculties in developing innovations with commercial potential. He said it was a collaboration between the Engineering Faculty’s Centre of Logistics and Healthcare Supply Chain and the Medicine Faculty at Siriraj Hospital.
Assoc Prof Duangpun Kritchanchai, head of Mahidol University’s Centre of Logistics and Healthcare Supply Chain, said the project involved the use of data science and AI technology to develop a smart delivery platform involving 5G unmanned vehicles.
She said this innovative system would help reduce the hospital’s operating costs, particularly involving inventory of medical supplies, as the hospital would be able to better manage the storage.
“The medicine supply inventory will be more accurately handled, and the hospital will also have drugs and medical supplies. Patients will get medicines when necessary and medical services will be more accurate, which in turn will help boost patients’ security,” Duangpun said.
She also said that a blueprint of the innovation, called “Intelligent Solutions for Hospital Logistics”, has been made available for any interested hospital.
Meanwhile, Pichit Thanyodom, chief corporate solutions and cooperation officer at True Corporation Plc, said the company has been involved in the project to help upgrade Thailand’s healthcare sector.
“True has been actively involved in the development of a model for smart hospitals,” he said.
Pichit added that True, a leading provider of 5G internet services, helped with the development of an electric-powered 5G unmanned vehicle.
