AI Tackles Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwan
Source: blog.google
Diabetes is a global health issue that affects millions, causing numerous deaths. In 2024, diabetes care was estimated to have cost over a trillion USD globally. With rising rates, the Taiwanese government is working with Google for Health and Google Cloud, using AI to change type 2 diabetes healthcare.
The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) in Taiwan is using Gemini and Google Cloud tools to personalize care for 1.3 million Taiwanese individuals with type 2 diabetes, aiming to reach over two million by 2026. Type 2 diabetes affects approximately one in ten Taiwanese people and is a significant burden on the nation's healthcare budget.
AI Initiatives for Diabetes Care
The Google partnership allows NHIA to use AI to analyze two decades of data to provide personalized treatment plans. The first initiative, AI-on-DM (Artificial Intelligence for Diabetes Mellitus), uses Google Cloud to categorize individuals based on the severity of their condition.
This categorization is part of the government's Universal Family Physician Program 2.0, providing customized planning and care based on risk assessment.
AI Agent for Personalized Guidance
The second initiative is a Gemini-based AI agent in the Taiwan My Health Bank app. It uses the same data and diabetes content to offer personalized guidance.
This integration of Google AI in the national healthcare system shifts Taiwan towards value-based care, which focuses on improved health outcomes. Using AI at a national level accelerates Taiwan's transition to a preventive healthcare model, enhancing healthcare efficiency and quality.