Mark Johnson, MD/PhD, (third from left) stands with CEO of Hallym University, Yoon Hee-sung (fourth from left), governor of Gangwon Province, Kim Jin-Tae (sixth from left), dean of Hallym University School of Medicine, Kyung-Ho Yu (seventh from left), director of Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Lee Jae-Jun (eighth from left) and other delegates from Hallym University and Gangwon Province.
A South Korean delegation from Gangwon Province and Hallym University visited UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center on Friday, Sept. 27, to explore a collaborative partnership, particularly in using AI to assist rural physicians and reduce mortality in critical cases of intracranial hemorrhage.
A memorandum of understanding between UMass Chan and Hallym University was officially signed earlier this year.
The delegation, led by the governor of Gangwon Province, Kim Jin-Tae; CEO of Hallym University and Chairman of the Hallym Foundation, Yoon Hee-sung; and Dean of Hallym University School of Medicine Kyung-Ho Yu; included officials and experts from the Gangwon Province, Hallym University, Gangwon Technopark and the Industrial Bureau of Gangwon Province.
“Hallym University is a leader in digital health and AI, and this partnership will lead to accelerating our research in digital medicine. It will lead to further funding opportunities, and it will position us on the international stage of AI research,” said Jeroan Allison, MD, chair and professor of population & quantitative health sciences.
Terence R. Flotte, MD, (center) celebrates the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Kim Jin-Tae, governor of Gangwon Province, and Yoon Hee-Sung, CEO of Hallym University (right)
Hallym University and Hallym University Medical Center have developed an AI application specifically designed for rural patients with intracranial hemorrhage. The application uploads images and patient data, and a consulting physician in the rural area collaborates with a neurosurgeon at Hallym University.
Dr. Allison said, “Hallym has shown that by taking this approach of physician-to-neurosurgeon consultation on this AI platform, that mortality has been reduced, length of hospital stay has been reduced, morbidity and other outcomes have been improved, and cost has been decreased.”
Representatives from Hallym University met with Mark Johnson, MD, PhD, the Maroun Semaan Chair in Neurosurgery and chair and professor of neurological surgery and senior consulting vice provost for mentorship, leadership and transformation; and Adrian Zai, MD, PhD, MPH, associate professor of population & quantitative health sciences and chief research informatics officer at UMass Chan, to discuss how the intracranial hemorrhage AI project could work at UMass Chan.
In the first phase of the collaboration, UMass Chan plans to test the algorithm on existing data of patients who presented with intracranial hemorrhage and track which hospitals the patients received medical services.
Kim Jin-Tae, governor of Gangwon Province and Jeroan Allison, MD, MS, in the lobby of the Albert Sherman Center.
“What Hallym is trying to do here is validate the use of the application in American health care systems. At UMass Chan and UMass Memorial, we are a hub-and-spoke type of health care system where we have a major academic medical center and multiple surrounding community hospitals that do not have a neurosurgical presence,” Dr. Johnson said.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Hallym University delegation met with Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine; Jatin K. Dave, MPH, MD, associate professor of population & quantitative health sciences, chief medical officer for MassHealth, and director of clinical affairs for ForHealth Consulting; and other leaders from the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, the UMass Chan Office of Advancement, and the UMass Memorial Health System.
Dr. Dave said the collaboration between UMass Chan and Hallym is still in its very early stages but feels that there is a lot of future potential, including opportunities for a faculty and student exchange program.
Dave said, “I have been so impressed with the humility, collaborative nature and continuous learning mindset of the people from the Republic of Korea. The visiting guests were so impressed with the culture of UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center, there is a mutual respect between the public sector leaders, senior academic and health leaders of both countries.”
Jatin K. Dave, MPH, MD, (right) tours the UMass Chan campus with members of the South Korean delegation.
Worcester mayor Joseph M. Petty was on hand to present a key to the city of Worcester and books celebrating Worcester’s Tercentennial to Governor Kim Jin-Tae.
Friday’s event also included a tour of the UMass Chan campus, a ceremonial signing of a memorandum of understanding, a reception and dinner.
