NYCU and Partners Win “2024 Presidential Hackathon” Excellence Award for Revolutionizing Elderly Healthcare in Taiwan
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and its partners were honored with the Domestic Track Award at the 2024 Presidential Hackathon awards ceremony held at the Presidential Office on December 22nd.
Spearheaded by the Veterans Affairs Council and supported by Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei Municipal Guandu Hospital, Kaohsiung City Government, and others, the collaborative team “Tranquil Aging Master” stood out among over 160 competing teams with their innovative project, “Yu Qu Tong Gong (御曲同工) Comprehensive Integrated Care Communication and Collaboration Platform.” President William Lai commended the initiative as a game-changer in addressing the challenges of an aging society.
A Forward-Looking Solution for a Super-Aged Society
President William Lai emphasized the need to develop a holistic, elder-centric healthcare model as Taiwan approaches super-aged society status. The “Yu Qu Tong Gong HealthCare Platform” connects caregivers, patients, and families and redefines the values of humanized healthcare and dignity.
President Lai hoped the platform’s rapid development would optimize emergency and inpatient services, catalyzing transformative reforms in Taiwan’s healthcare system and advancing public health goals.
Multilateral Collaboration for an Innovative Platform
The award-winning team, led by Veterans Affairs Council Minister Teh-fa Yen, included NYCU Professor Po-Lun Chang, geriatric medicine expert Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, and Siang Hao Lee, Executive Director of 9 Rise International Mobile Health Technology Co. Together, they accepted the honor for their pioneering work. Inspired by international models of continuous care, the platform leverages data analytics and AI to enable real-time, cross-institutional, and interdisciplinary communication, reducing the burden on medical staff while enhancing care efficiency.
The roots of this collaboration trace back to 2016 when Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital (KVGH) and Kaohsiung City Government initiated the “Seamless Post-Discharge Long-Term Care” project. In 2022, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) formally launched the platform’s development. Supported by the Veterans Affairs Council, the initiative garnered technical expertise from NYCU and resources from KVGH and the Kaohsiung City Government. Partnerships later expanded to Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and other institutions, forming a nationwide professional network.
The Platform has undergone smart city validations, demonstrating exceptional economic benefits and attracting investment interest from multiple enterprises. The Platform bridges medical institutions and community caregivers, establishing a patient-centered integrated care model and setting a benchmark for digital healthcare transformation. Moving forward, geriatric teams from Taiwan’s three major Veterans General Hospitals will adopt the Platform, propelling the nation toward sustainable, smart healthcare development.
The Presidential Hackathon: Innovating Solutions to Social Challenges
Organized by the Executive Yuan in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the 2024 Presidential Hackathon aimed to address societal challenges through digital innovation. This year’s theme, “Healthy Aging for a Sustainable Future,” focused on the super-aged society. After months of rigorous competition and evaluation, the winning teams demonstrated exceptional capabilities in leveraging data and innovative technology to deliver groundbreaking solutions for Taiwan’s future.
NYCU remains committed to leveraging its educational and research strengths to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive digital healthcare innovation. The university aims to embrace the challenges of a super-aged society with its partners, paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable future.
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Written by：Chance Lai
Source ：NYCU News
