Construction of the state-of-the-art medical applied R&D global initiative center begins

A new leap toward the fourth industrial revolution for medicine

Clinical capacities and new research infrastructure centered on patients

Cutting-edge medical facilities that link health care and research

A smart hospital based on precision medicine and IoT, the first in Korea

▲ Image of the The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center

The Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) held a groundbreaking ceremony for The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center at KU Anam Hospital on September 26. The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center, a new engine of growth for the KUMC, is expected to serve as a hub bringing about a paradigm shift for medicine under the moto of “leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution for medical communities.” In particular, it aims to “offer optimum health care customized for critically ill patients” and “create a virtuous cycle for investment that connects medical research to the industry,” thus growing into a world-class futuristic medical institution.

◆ Convergence R&D Center, the beginning of futuristic medicine: Specialized for critically ill patients

The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will be constructed by 2022, with a total area of 130,000㎡. This means that Anam Hospital, with a current gross area of 76,000㎡, will be three times bigger upon completion.

After building The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center parking lot and health care facilities, the existing parking lot will be transformed into the Convergence R&D Center. The new health care facilities will house a specialized center for cancer, heart, and cranial nerve diseases in order to better provide services. The Convergence R&D Center will have an infrastructure, the best in its kind in Korea, which will be the epitome of healthcare and research capacities of three KUMC affiliated hospitals—Anam, Guro and Ansan Hospitals. In addition, Anam Hospital will be renovated with expanded operating rooms, remodeled beds, and refurbished intensive care units by 2022.

◆ Precision medicine, customized for individual patients: Plans to enhance possibilities to cure intractable and serious diseases

In addition to the hospital’s appearance, its services will also evolve. When The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center is completed, medical services based on precision medicine will become a reality for the first time in Korea. The Precision Medicine Project, a national strategic project for which KUMC was selected (worth KRW 76.9 billion over the next five years), will take initiative in developing cancer diagnosis and treatment methods, thus applying them to patients as futuristic medicine. Moreover, a cloud-based information system will use big data available in the FCMC for medical research as a part of the project.

The KUMC will leverage research systems and big data analytics available in The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center in order to provide optimum health care for individual patients. It also aims to apply precision medicine to heart, cranial nerve, and rare intractable diseases, as well as cancer, thus enhancing possibilities of treatment. In addition, the KUMC plans to utilize precision medicine for the research and development of new drugs, medical appliances, new operation techniques, and clinical tests, thus leading to the treatment of rare intractable diseases.

※ Precision medicine is a core area of the futuristic medicine that leads the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the field. It aims to provide optimum care for individual patients based on their genetic and environmental factors, medical history, and life style.

◆ An AI-Driven Hospital via cutting-edge research: Takes initiatives in driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution for medicine leveraging IoT and AI

The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will apply precision medicine, IoT and other IT technologies to developing and upgrading various medical services. It plans to continue to develop new technologies, including various Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for medicine. As a part of such endeavors, an integrated medical information service centered on patients is under development. Once these services are put into practice, an IoT-based intelligence information system will provide better convenience for visitors and enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the logistic management system.

The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will be an AI-driven hospital with the best medical system offering accurate diagnosis and optimum care to its patients. It plans to provide more precise and advanced medical services based on cutting-edge technologies, including AI technologies, such as Aibril (AI antibiotic adviser), which gives real-time advice for antibiotic prescriptions based on medical records, and Voice Recognition AI that automatically recognizes medical charts and enters data. In addition, The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will be a mecca of the quaternary sector of the economy and a model for futuristic hospitals that collect the medical histories and genetic information of patients and utilize big data for medical services.

◆ Prioritizing care quality, not the expansion of beds: Builds an infrastructure and system for critically ill patients

When The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center is completed, the number of beds at Anam Hospital will go from 1,051 to 1,200, only an increase of 150 beds. This is a result of all six-bed rooms being converted into four-bed rooms, enlarging the floor space per bed and enhancing the convenience facilities for visitors. Furthermore, building an infrastructure and system to better the quality of care services, such as broader intensive care units and operation rooms, the installation of advanced equipment, and the creation of a specialized center that focuses on multidisciplinary treatment, is a priority in constructing The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center.

Three serious diseases such as cancer, heart and cranial nerve illnesses will be intensively treated and managed at a separate center. The KUMC will apply precision medicine, for which it takes initiative after being appointed by the national strategic project, to the three major diseases as a priority and provide optimum treatment for individual patients, which is expected to help better the prognosis of each disease and aid in the search for cures.

For the care of critically ill patients, IoT services combined with AI will be adopted in order to promote treatment effects. An AI monitoring system will be implemented at nurse stations in order to check the conditions of admitted patients. In addition, The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will provide futuristic medical services to patients by exploring services essential to treating critically ill patients and engaging in the joint development of such services.

Based on these endeavors, Anam Hospital will focus on “treating critically ill patients” to fulfill its mission as a top-class general hospital. This attests to its aspiration to offer optimum care and enhance patient satisfaction with its excellent clinical capacity and serve as a quaternary hospital in curing critically ill patients.

▲ Image of the The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center

◆ Synergy by integrating medical treatment and research: Realizes the Great KUMC 2025

The FCMC is expected to be the beginning of the KUMC’s transformation towards futuristic medicine. In particular, it will be a venue for a research eco-system that combines excellent clinical capacity and research-centered hospitals. Furthermore, it will leverage KU’s internal networks and integrate the research capacities of the neighboring universities including KIST and KAIST as well as research institutes in the Hongreung area, thus triggering a shift in the medical industry in Korea.

Moreover, the KUMC aims to create an open HT R&D eco-system that discovers new technologies in order to lead the local medical industry and support start-ups. It is building an organized system that not only generates profits, but also invests the profits back into R&D. Such a “sustainable virtuous cycle for investment in medical industry” will lay the foundation for the KUMC to foster its care services and research as a new engine of growth. While adopting cutting-edge devices and technologies, the KUMC will be an incubator for new treatments and medical appliances, present directions for medicine and healthcare, and lead the development of the medical industry in Korea.

The groundbreaking ceremony held at 3pm on September 26 was attended by the President of the Korea University Foundation, Jae Ho Kim; KU President, Jaeho Yeom; Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, Hyo Myung Kim; President of KU Anam Hospital, Kee Hyoung Lee; and the Chairman of the KU Alumni, Hak Su Lee.

“The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center of KU Anam Hospital will be a driving force behind the development of KU and KUMC based on our aspirations today. The excellent capacities of KU and KUMC will grow further based on the cutting-edge facility of The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center, and the KUMC will lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution for medicine in Korea,” said the President of the Korea University Foundation, Jae Ho Kim, at the groundbreaking ceremony. He added that they would be joining forces until the completion of the construction.

“Recently, the Korean government has implemented a national strategic project worth KRW 77 billion to support precision medicine, a core to the future medical industry. The Korean government appointed the KUMC as a leading group for the entire project. This attests its recognition of the KUMC’s endeavors towards futuristic medical research, such as convergence research of professors from KU College of Medicine, two research-driven hospitals affiliated with the KUMC, the launch of KU-MAGIC, and AI-based medical research through IBM Watson’s AIbril with SK C&C,” said KU President, Jaeho Yeom. He also added, “The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center, for which KU Head Office, Foundation, the KUMC and Anam Hospital have made tireless efforts over the last decade, will be a beachhead for future medicine. In the future, it will be a global medical complex that leads bio-medical research innovation and commercialization as a medical institution and as the Project Zero for the KU-MAGIC based on the know-how of research-driven hospitals.” He stressed, “The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will be a hub and landmark of biomedical convergence research that connects the Colleges of Health Science, Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Engineering, Science, Informatics, and Nursing, as well as the R&D Science Park of the Open Innovation, which will be joined by global businesses and research institutes. It will also become a core area for Hongreung Bio-Valley that connects major national research institutes including KIST and other prestigious universities including KyungHee University. In addition, The state-of-the-art Medical Applied R&D Global Initiative Center will be a locomotive as a global hub that leads future medicine, combined with IoT, big data, AI and precision medicine.

“In order to become a world-class medical institution, the KUMC has to grow into a new example of research-driven medical institution, overcoming the challenges posed by the dispersed locations of its affiliated hospitals,” said Hyo Myung Kim, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, adding, “The FCMC will be the first step to bring about such a paradigm shift for medicine, solidify the position as a leading medical research institute by 2025, and grow the scale of the KUMC two times.”

“We have thoroughly prepared for this construction as a medical institute that has protected the health of our nation and the world over the past decade,” said Gi-hyeong Lee, President of Anam Hospital. He added, “The FCMC will become a representative facility that leads the future of KU and the KUMC and upgrades the treatment services of Anam Hospital. It will grow into an essential medical institute that will lead the coming 100 years for our medicine.”