Amid rising health challenges and an aging population, Macau should leverage artificial intelligence and digital health technologies to strengthen healthcare services and drive economic diversification, Professor Henry Tong of Macau Polytechnic University (MPU) said.
In a keynote speech Wednesday at the France Macau Chamber of Commerce’s (FMCC) Breakfast Talk Rendez-Vous, Tong delved into how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance the public services, with a particular focus on its potential in the healthcare sector.
“As a free trade zone, Macau has unique advantages that allow it to focus on emerging technologies such as digital health platforms and telemedicine,” the professor told the Times on the sidelines of yesterday morning’s event.
“These technologies can not only improve residents’ health conditions but also attract external investment and foster economic diversification.”
With a background in pharmacy, Tong has worked as a pharmacist and health professional coordinator, overseeing the training of various healthcare professionals.
Currently, he leads a drug discovery project focused on neglected tropical diseases and conducts research in smart healthy aging, using big data analytics to predict the health needs of the elderly.
“Before 2020, I was trained as a pharmacist, graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. I practiced for a few years as a pharmacist before joining MPU, which was still an institute at the time, as a pharmacy teacher. I later became the allied health professional coordinator, training not only pharmacy technologists but also medical laboratory technologists, public health analysts, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and radiation therapists. In 2020, I was asked to explore AI in surgery at my university, which led me to transition into the field of AI in healthcare.”
Referencing his experience, Tong noted that the performance of AI has exceeded expectations.
From yesterday’s meeting, it was learned that Tong’s research not only aims to enhance the quality of elderly healthcare but also seeks to inspire greater attention to AI’s potential in the medical field, thereby advancing society’s overall health standards.
The professor noted, “Macau is one of the places with the highest life expectancy in the world. Currently, the top three regions are Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan. This data is open and can be validated […] What we are focusing on is AI prediction in elderly care services.” Collaborating with the University of Hong Kong and the elderly survey and social administration department, he has collected two decades of big data to predict the future health demands of the aging population.
Tong pointed out that by analyzing this data, his team can forecast how many elderly individuals will require walkers and other rehabilitation services. He emphasized that data cleansing is a critical step – though time-consuming – that must be performed manually to ensure high-quality data.
In a specific case, he mentioned their ongoing AI predictive research designed to assist the Shenzhen government in planning elderly care services.
“We are collaborating with the Shenzhen government to utilize Hong Kong data to predict the healthcare and social needs of the elderly in the future […] This data can help the government plan elderly care services effectively. The business implications are significant; by using this data, we can determine how many immobile elderly patients are in Hong Kong. This means we can predict the demand for walking sticks and other rehabilitation services in the near future, allowing for precise calculations,” the professor stated.
He also stressed the importance of considering China’s cultural context, particularly the value of filial piety, when developing the silver economy. “Elderly individuals often wish to live with their children, so our service models must adapt to this cultural characteristic to avoid the risk of failure,” he noted.
Tong believes Macau is an ideal location for commercial development, thanks to its mix of expatriate and local populations, as well as its participation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area connectivity initiative.
He noted, “Products registered in Macau can leverage this initiative to sell into Guangdong Province. Additionally, there are opportunities for online sales.” He asserted that successful brands can easily sell products online from Macau to mainland China, positioning it as an excellent testing ground.
He emphasized that AI represents a high-value industry for Macau’s development: “We can use it not only as a testing ground for the silver economy but also for emerging industries.”
He highlighted promising prospects for technologies like digital diagnostics, treatments, and devices in Macau, especially given its status as a free trade zone with relatively relaxed regulatory environment.
Addressing AI reliability, Tong stated, “AI effectiveness is highly dependent on data.” He noted that Macau’s limited population could compromise the reliability of generated datasets, necessitating thorough validation before AI implementation. He suggested that algorithm development in Macau should consider leveraging data from Hong Kong or the Greater Bay Area to access more comprehensive datasets.
Additionally, he highlighted AI’s potential to analyze healthcare needs among the elderly, assisting the government in better planning community healthcare and home-visit services. He urged citizens to enhance health awareness and emphasized the importance of early screening to improve overall health standards.
Despite certain challenges, Tong believes that collaboration with the Greater Bay Area will help expand market potential: “Macau possesses unique advantages in utilizing patient data, which will accelerate the integration of research outcomes with international standards.”
The professor pointed out to the Times that AI can play a significant role in disease recognition, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
However, when addressing the issue of healthcare workforce shortages, he believes AI should be viewed as an assistant to enhance work efficiency rather than as a replacement for humans. He emphasized that while AI can automate certain functions, human-centered care and emotional support remain indispensable.
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