The future of healthcare hinges on how effectively hospitals can translate scientific discoveries into tangible benefits for patients. At Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, where innovation is the driving force behind care, this transformation is already underway.
“Promoting sustainable healthcare and translating innovation into patient benefits requires new models of care, smart healthcare technologies, and preventive medicine,” says Dr. Cherng Wen-Jin, chairman of the Chang Gung Steering Committee. “The key lies in fostering an environment where clinical ideas can become practical applications.”
That belief has guided Chang Gung’s transformation into one of Asia’s most dynamic healthcare systems, integrating research, technology, and industry collaboration with a deep sense of social responsibility. Through its focus on clinical innovation, AI-driven care, and sustainability, the hospital is redefining what it means to deliver health for all.
“We’ve built an integrated industry-academia-clinical platform that connects researchers with frontline physicians and industry partners,” says Dr. Cherng, who is also a professor of medicine at Chang Gung University.
To date, 68 innovation projects have been successfully transferred to industry, with a cumulative licensing value of NT$389 million, 16 of which have already been commercialized.
Among the most notable outcomes is the improved low-concentration atropine eye drop, developed to control childhood myopia. Another success, the Kirschner Wire Fixation System, enhances surgical stability and recovery outcomes, while the Adjustable Wound Support Band System accelerates healing and reduces infection risk.
Every year, Chang Gung invests around NT$3.5 billion in research to ensure that solutions born in its wards and operating rooms make their way back to the bedside. A standout example is the Proximal Monitoring Ingestible Capsule System, which continuously tracks intra-abdominal pressure for six days after a single oral dose — reducing related mortality by 45% and saving an estimated US$1.6 billion (NT$49 billion) annually in healthcare costs.
Chang Gung’s spirit of collaboration extends to the global stage. A recent memorandum of understanding with global pharmaceutical company MSD expands clinical research cooperation across multiple branches, focusing on optimizing clinical pathways.
“Signing this MOU represents more than expanding clinical trials,” Dr. Cherng says. “It demonstrates our commitment to building a sustainable, long-term partnership with a global pharmaceutical leader. For us, this means gaining access to international networks, research expertise, and innovative treatment options, which in turn accelerates our ability to bring advanced therapies to patients in Taiwan.”
One concrete example is the partners’ joint effort to optimize clinical pathways. By standardizing and streamlining diagnostic and treatment procedures across its branches, the hospital can shorten waiting times, eliminate redundancies, and improve coordination among multidisciplinary teams.
“Ultimately, initiatives like these strengthen Taiwan’s role in the global clinical research ecosystem while ensuring that patients benefit sooner from scientific breakthroughs,” Dr. Cherng says.
Under the national Healthy Taiwan vision, Chang Gung has emerged as a pioneer in applying AI to medical practice. The hospital’s Artificial Intelligence Core Laboratory and its forthcoming AI Platform are developing applications that enhance clinical decision-making, reduce administrative workload, and advance simulation-based education.
Seventeen AI models have already been deployed across Chang Gung’s network, five of which are approved by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration. Among them is an AI-powered wrist fracture detection system with nearly 90% sensitivity, an atrial fibrillation detection model reaching 99.7% sensitivity, and a ventricular function screening tool capable of identifying early heart failure from ECG readings alone.
Dr. Cherng emphasizes that technological progress must go hand in hand with environmental and social responsibility. To this end, the hospital has upgraded its facilities to meet green-building standards; Taipei Chang Gung’s seismic reinforcement project, for instance, made it the first hospital in the city to achieve earthquake-resilient certification.
On the social side, Chang Gung signed the Hospital Sustainability Accord with the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy, pledging to expand preventive care and health education in underserved communities.
“Sustainability is now part of how we govern, innovate, and care,” Dr. Cherng says. “It enhances our efficiency, strengthens trust, and secures our future.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Cherng envisions Chang Gung as both a guardian of public health and a catalyst for global collaboration. Guided by its mission of “Health for All, Sustainability for Generations,” the hospital embraces the One Health approach that links human well-being with environmental and societal health.
“Chang Gung will continue serving as a bridge between technology and policy,” he says. “By combining clinical excellence, innovation, and social responsibility, we aim to create a healthcare system that is not only smarter and greener but also more compassionate and inclusive.”
This article is sponsored by MSD.
