School News

(6 June 2025, Hong Kong) The Smart Healthcare for a Sustainable Future Forum, hosted by the Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation (IDEI), was successfully held at HKU iCube, Two Exchange Square. The forum convened leading experts and industry leaders to examine the intersection of digital healthcare and sustainability, highlighting both the emerging opportunities and the pressing challenges shaping this rapidly evolving field.

In his welcome address, Professor Yulin Fang, Director of the Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation and Professor of Innovation and Information Management at HKU Business School, highlighted the forum as a collaborative platform for driving sustainable solutions through digital healthcare innovation. The address also introduced a distinguished lineup of speakers, including representatives from HKU’s Business School, Medical School, and Institute of Data Science, as well as experts from Cambridge, Warwick, and Ivey Business Schools, and esteemed scholars from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, Lingnan University, and South China University of Technology.

Professor Michael Barrett, Vice Dean at Cambridge Judge Business School and Academic Director of Cambridge Digital Innovation, explored how digital technologies such as telemedicine become perceived as “risk objects” through evolving relationships. He emphasized that emerging technologies gain legitimacy by reframing risk, highlighting risk as a critical relational construct in the adoption and transformation of digital innovations.

Professor Haipeng Shen, Patrick S.C. Poon Professor in Analytics and Innovation and Associate Dean at HKU Business School, discussed how the integration of AI and advanced analytics is revolutionizing clinical operations. Showcasing clinical impacts from Beijing Tiantan Hospital, he illustrated how human–AI collaboration enhances risk prediction, resource allocation, and patient flow. “Human + AI: The future is here.”

Professor Tsz Kei Joseph Wu, Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health at HKU’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, presented a range of AI-powered solutions developed under the D24H@InnoHK initiative, such as large language model driven chatbots for pharmacy and vaccine support, AI tools for cancer staging, and a smartphone-based stethoscope for detecting valvular heart disease.

Professor Eivor Oborn, Professor of Healthcare Management at Warwick Business School and Fellow at Cambridge Digital Innovation, emphasized the importance of “taking a human-centric approach” in the digital transformation of healthcare. Digital technology alone does not necessarily transform hospital medicine; instead, there is a need to shift care models and embrace hybrid approaches that incorporate both physical and virtual care.

Subsequently, Professor Kai H. Lim, Yeung Kin Man Chair Professor of Information Technology Innovation and Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, shared two studies on AI-enabled chronic illness management. AI-powered devices and mobile apps facilitate self-monitoring, improve patient adherence, and support emotional well-being. The studies highlight the complementary roles of AI and family-based support across different stages of illness, and how digital tools can both empower and potentially surveil patients.

Professor Minje Park, Assistant Professor at HKU Business School, introduced a machine learning–guided outreach program designed to improve colorectal cancer screening. In collaboration with Geisinger Health System, the study used ML algorithms to identify high-risk patients based on routine blood test data. The program significantly increased colonoscopy uptake and reduced two-year mortality by 6.2 percentage points.

Professor Qingpeng Zhang, Associate Professor at HKU’s Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, presented a suite of interpretable deep learning frameworks—GraphSynergy, iDPath, and BioXNet—that leverage multilayered biological data to support drug discovery, treatment repurposing, and personalized medicine.

Professor Yuanyuan Dang, Associate Professor at the South China University of Technology, highlighted the importance of generative AI in enabling collaborative decision-making among doctors, AI systems, and patients. Adaptive “triadic decision-making” models are being designed to support this collaboration, while emotional engagement in AI–patient interactions is enhanced through large-scale field experiments and prompt engineering.

Dr. Ngai Tseung Cheung, Head of Information Technology and Health Informatics at the Hospital Authority, delivered a compelling keynote reflecting on Hong Kong’s 30-year journey in building one of the world’s most advanced digital health systems. Milestones include the development of the Clinical Management System (CMS), the HA Go mobile platform, and the implementation of Smart Hospital 2.0. Standardized electronic patient records, AI-powered workflows, and real-time data integration form the backbone of this system, enhancing care quality, operational efficiency, and patient engagement.

The forum concluded with a presentation by Professor Ning Su, Associate Professor at Ivey Business School, Western University, which explored how companies can ascend the global value chain through a process of learning by supplying. Using the case of a healthcare technology provider, the presentation showed that by systematically developing capabilities through imitation, integration and innovation, firms can meet evolving demands and leverage organizational processes to build the competencies essential for sustained success in global markets.

Attendees’ Sharings

Attending this conference has been a valuable experience for me. I gained profound insights into cutting-edge research in the healthcare field, as well as practical explorations from hospital applications. The sessions not only broadened my perspective but also provided me with actionable knowledge that I can apply in my own work. The opportunity to learn from leading experts and engage with peers was really precious. This conference has been an inspiring experience, and I look forward to implementing what I’ve learned in the future.
 — Guo Yushan, PhD student, City University of Hong Kong

This forum opened my eyes to how AI and other digital technologies are transforming healthcare in sustainable ways. I was particularly inspired by the idea of human-AI collaboration in healthcare research and the application of AI in clinical diagnostics. The event provided an invaluable opportunity to engage with industry experts, researchers, and professionals, gaining unique insights from their expertise. It was truly an enriching experience.
 — Liu Lu, PhD student, Renmin University of China

It is a great pleasure to engage the healthcare Workshop, interacting and eliciting feedback from reputational scholars and peer scholars.
 — Wang Tianteng, PhD student, City University of Hong Kong

A very fruitful conference where I learned a lot from both healthcare practitioners and academic researchers! It was incredibly insightful, helping me expand my own horizons for doing future e-health research as a PhD student.
 — Wu Jia, PhD student, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Many thanks for organizing such an insightful workshop. The speeches were highly inspiring and offered fresh perspectives that encouraged meaningful reflection. I gained valuable insights that will benefit both my research and personal development.
 — Wang Guangxu, PhD student, City University of Hong Kong

The forum featured speakers from diverse backgrounds, exposing me to a variety of insightful ideas. It was a fantastic event—hope to see more like this in the future!
 — Jiang Shudan, PhD student, City University of Hong Kong

Student Helpers’ Sharings

In addition to the forum’s distinguished speakers and attendees, a dedicated group of HKU UG and TPG student helpers took part in the event, contributing to the smooth organization of the forum:

“The entire venue was exceptionally well-organized, and the professors’ cutting-edge insights on healthcare and business provided me with profound inspiration. I look forward to frequent academic exchanges like this in the future!”
 — Yang Xinyu, TPG student

“It was a great honor to participate in the forum as a student helper and have the opportunity to closely engage with the inspiring talks delivered by distinguished scholars. This experience broadened my understanding of cutting-edge research in the healthcare field and deeply inspired me, giving me a clearer vision of the future of healthcare. Many thanks to IDEI for organizing such a meaningful event, and I look forward to joining more in-depth and impactful events in the future!”
 — Zhang Hanmei, TPG student

“The insightful discussions and diverse perspectives shared by both the professors and participants made it truly inspiring. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn and engage with such a brilliant academic community!”
 — Kwok Tsz Hei, UG student

Photo Caption

Yulin Fang, Professor of Innovation and Information Management, Director IDEI, HKU Business School

Michael BARRETT, Professor of Information Systems and Innovation Studies

Academic Director Cambridge Digital Innovation, Vice Dean for Strategy and University Engagement, Cambridge Judge Business School & Fellow of Hughes Hall

University of Cambridge

Haipeng SHEN, Professor in Innovation and Information Management, Associate Dean (EMBA and IMBA), Patrick S C Poon Professor in Analytics and Innovation, Chair of Business Analytics and Innovation, HKU Business School

Tsz Kei Joseph WU, Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health, HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Sundara Natarajan Panchanatham, Assistant Professor, Innovation and Information Management, HKU Business School

Eivor OBORN, Professor of Healthcare Management, Warwick Business School, Fellow, Cambridge Digital Innovation (CDI) Centre, University of Warwick

Kai LIM, Chair Professor of Information Technology Innovation and Management

Yeung Kin Man Professor in Information Technology Innovation and Management, Faculty of Business, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Minje PARK, Assistant Professor of Innovation and Information Management, HKU Business School

Xin Li, Professor in the Department of Information Systems City University of Hong Kong

Qingpeng ZHANG, Associate Professor, The Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science and the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Aihua Yan, Associate Professor of Teaching, Office of the Faculty of Business, Lingnan University

Yuanyuan DANG, Associate Professor of School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology

Ngai Tseung CHEUNG, Head of Information Technology and Health Informatics, Hospital Authority

Ning SU, Associate Professor of General Management, Strategy, and Information Systems Ivey Business School, Western University

Hi-res photos are available 20250609_IDEI Smart Healthcare Forum_iCube