November 26, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at Sirikunakorn 3 Room, 2nd Floor, Sirikunakorn Building, Khon Kaen University – a workshop was held on AI for Healthcare in the Post COVID-19 era, Phase 2. The opening session began with Asst. Prof. Dr. Acharawan Topark-Ngarm, Assistant to the President for International Affairs giving a reporting speech and Assoc. Prof. Nawarat Wara-Aswapati Charoen, Ph.D., Vice President for International Affairs made an opening address. Over 40 people attended including the guest speakers, University administrators and staff, and over 60 KKU students in medical science fields from hospitals and medical faculties in different universities in Thailand. Over 500 interested people also joined online on Zoom Webinar.
The workshop: AI for Healthcare in the Post COVID-19 era, Phase 2 was aimed at strengthening the professional team in medicine and public health by means of artificial intelligence innovations through the foreign university network and at promoting academic collaboration with leading universities abroad. Trainees trained to create innovation and build tools for real use in medical services.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Acharawan Topark-Ngarm, Assistant to the President for International Affairs reported that Khon Kaen University received budget from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation at an amount of 1,000,000 baht to carry out the artificial intelligence project in health care. The objectives are to enhance the strength in medicine and public health using AI through the network universities both in the country and abroad. The first activity at Khon Kaen University, which was successful as expected, was held on July 23-24, 2020 at Khon Kaen University Library.
“AI for Healthcare in the Post COVID-19 era, Phase 2 is extended from the first time in July. The topics this time include: CIRACORE AI Platform loT, producing simple electronics boards, How to leverage healthcare service with chatbot (It’s all about customer journey), preparation of image files for teaching AI, and producing AI for Image Analysis on the Cloud system. This training emphasizes practices in creating innovation such as making tools and designing services for real use in medicine. The target groups are staff and students from Khon Kaen University and the network universities, health personnel from different hospitals and interested public,” Asst. Prof. Dr. Acharawan said.
Assoc. Prof. Nawarat Wara-Aswapati Charoen, Ph.D., Vice President for International Affairs explained that this workshop answers the intention of Khon Kaen University to become a medical hub for people in the Northeast, that account for 22.24 million people or one third of the country. The Medical Excellence Center or Medical Hub Project started in 2018. In 2024, KKU will be ready to operate this Medical Hub. It also responds to the Government’s 4.0 Policy that emphasizes electronics intelligence and complete-cycle medical care.
“In order to step towards being a medical hub for people in the Northeast, Khon Kaen University has continuously prepared personnel, acquired modern medical equipment in order to increase the efficiency, accuracy and rapidity in disease diagnoses and following-up work on patients. These are achieved by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in giving medical care to patients and at the same time, personnel are trained to manage Big Data in medicine. Such technologies transform the past treatment into something more modern, making medical service more efficient, faster, and less expensive in terms of cost. Thus, treatment will be better. AI for Healthcare in the Post COVID-19 era, Phase 2 truly strengthen medical and public health services. The workshop is expected to lead to creation of innovation and tools for real use in medical care,” the Vice President for International Affairs said.
The workshop was arranged on November 26-27, 2020. It was collaborated by the network both in the university and outside. From Khon Kaen University, the participating faculties were: Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Public Health, Faculty of Associated Medical Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Engineering, and the social science group of KKU. Other institutions outside KKU included: the Artificial Intelligence Network Universities, namely King Mongkut University of Technology Lad Krabung and BOT I O Co. Ltd. The expected outcomes from this event among personnel would be higher competency in Artificial Intelligence and innovations in medical AI that can be put into real use in health care.
