Zunyi Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital Launches $430 Million Smart Hospital with Comprehensive Digital Health Solutions

With the growing demand for public health and medical services, and the iterative application of new technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and cloud computing, it has become imperative for hospitals to undergo self-transformation through “smart upgrades.” “Smart” elements will be deeply integrated into the entire process of clinical diagnosis and treatment, as well as into residents’ daily health management, enabling healthcare services to achieve true intelligence and driving the prosperous development of the medical industry.

On September 6, 2019, to accelerate the development of smart hospitals and further enhance the level of hospital informatization, Shenzhen DAS Intellitech Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “DAS Intellitech”) jointly held the “Smart Hospital Construction Summit Forum” with the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (hereinafter referred to as “the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University”). Approximately 200 attendees, including leaders from the Zunyi Municipal Health Commission, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, DAS Intellitech, and major hospitals across China, were present at the event.

In the morning, attending guests toured the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University to observe its intelligent and energy-saving solutions, operating room and clinical informatics, and the application of information technology and big data systems. The tour covered outpatient services, pharmacy, medical technology departments, inpatient wards, digital integrated operating rooms, air conditioning plant rooms, and the hospital’s comprehensive logistics operation and maintenance management platform. The highlights of the hospital’s informatization construction and applications drew significant attention from the guests.

Within the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, integrated information technology enables automation and visualization across the entire patient care journey. Patients can use self-service kiosks, a mobile app, or the hospital’s WeChat Official Account to register, make payments, and monitor the status of their diagnostic tests and laboratory examinations. The hospital leverages these channels to send various notifications throughout the patient’s visit, with messages delivered via both the app and WeChat. In addition to traditional functions such as registration, payment, and viewing test results, the hospital’s app integrates features including care pathway guidance, access to physical examination reports, hospital satisfaction surveys, and follow-up services.

Meanwhile, to enhance the patient experience by improving convenience and reducing wait times, our IT infrastructure enables comprehensive, omni-channel payment solutions. Both service counters and self-service kiosks accept payments via medical insurance cards, bank cards, WeChat Pay, and Alipay. Furthermore, to optimize outpatient workflows, an integrated queue management and calling system has been implemented. This system supports two-tier triage and automatically manages queues for regular, priority, late-arrival, follow-up, and missed-appointment patients.

In addition to providing routine outpatient and emergency appointment-based hospitalization registration and admission processing at the inpatient billing office, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University also offers ward-based admission and bedside settlement services. This significantly reduces patient traffic at the inpatient billing office, shortens waiting and back-and-forth times for patients, and tangibly enhances their healthcare experience.

The High-Level Forum was moderated by Liao Wenbo, President of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University. The expert panel included Wang Tielin, Honorary President of Hainan Cancer Hospital and Vice President of the Hospital Architecture and Equipment Branch of the China Association of Medical Equipment; Shen Chongde, Vice President of Wuxi People's Hospital; Shu Tao, Party Secretary of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University; Liu Dongyang, Chief Expert in Smart Hospital Informatics at DAS Intellitech; and Tang Xufeng, Vice President of DAS Jiuxin.

The guest speakers shared insights on topics including whole-process management of public general hospital construction, development and response strategies for smart hospitals in the 5G era, integrated construction and practical implementation of smart hospitals, the interplay between medical discipline development and hospital architecture, and the planning and construction of smart operating rooms. In addition, they engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges on the construction and operational innovation experiences of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, the latest technologies, model innovations, and forward-thinking perspectives in the field of smart hospital development, as well as the pain points and hot issues within the hospital construction industry, collectively injecting new momentum into the advancement of smart hospital construction.

Huang Deqiang, Vice President of Shenzhen DAS Intellitech Co., Ltd., stated that leveraging its advantages in “technology + services” and relying on independently developed core products, the company has provided the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University with a highly integrated, full-lifecycle solution encompassing intelligence and energy efficiency, operating room and clinical informatics, and hospital management informatics. This initiative aims to build an information system characterized by “optimized processes, comprehensive functionality, information sharing, business collaboration, ease of use and high efficiency, safety and reliability, and standardization,” thereby fully supporting the hospital’s integrated and scientific management. The goal is to establish the institution as a top-tier smart hospital in Southwest China from multiple dimensions, truly benefiting the public and assisting medical professionals by delivering tangible convenience to the general population.

Meanwhile, he noted that the integration of 5G and artificial intelligence has expanded the application scope of Shenzhen DAS Intellitech’s overall IoT-based smart hospital solutions. In the future, patients will receive more timely diagnostic reports and enjoy more humanized and considerate services; hospital logistics will benefit from more reliable operation and maintenance support, as well as more refined and energy-efficient management; hospitals will achieve broader interoperability, facilitating easier access to expert resources and enhanced support for primary care institutions, while also improving energy efficiency and ensuring a safer clinical environment.

At the event, the Smart Hospital Demonstration Site, jointly established by the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University and Shenzhen DAS Intellitech Co., Ltd., was officially unveiled. The demonstration site is dedicated to researching the application and practice of new technologies in the smart construction of hospitals, aiming to enhance the public’s healthcare experience and sense of health-related well-being.

It is reported that the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University was completed and put into operation on March 1, 2019. As a Grade III general hospital, it covers a land area of approximately 300 mu (about 20 hectares) with a building area of around 300,000 square meters. The hospital plans to offer 2,000 beds, with a total planned investment of nearly RMB 3 billion. Leveraging high-quality medical resources and teaching faculty, and adopting advanced intelligent, information-based, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, the hospital provides premium medical services to a population of 12 million in northern Guizhou.