University Medical Center HCMC Applies Artificial Intelligence in Echocardiography

On January 21, 2025, at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City (UMC), the program "Cooperation on Innovation in Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis and Management" took place between the Hospital and AstraZeneca Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The event marks an important milestone in UMC's application of artificial intelligence (AI) in echocardiography (us2.ai), contributing to optimizing the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice. At the program, the two parties discussed the potential for cooperation in areas such as chronic disease management, oncology, digital transformation in healthcare, and scientific research.

Speaking at the program, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Hoang Dinh, PhD, MD – Deputy Director of UMC said: "As a teaching hospital of the university, we always aim to create breakthroughs in treatment, training, and scientific research. Cooperation with AstraZeneca Vietnam Co., Ltd. not only promotes training and research work, but also affirms the Hospital's pioneering role in applying modern technology."

According to Prof. Truong Quang Binh, PhD, MD – Chairman of the Scientific Council of UMC: "Every day, the Hospital's cardiology clinic receives about 600 patients, more than 15,000 patients per month, of which 1,600 - 1,700 are heart failure cases. Notably, the number of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction cases accounts for about 600 - 700 cases. This type of disease is considered a challenge in diagnosis because the heart's ejection fraction remains within normal limits, but the patient has other serious abnormalities. The process of ultrasound and testing is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so many cases can be missed. Thanks to AI, we expect to additionally diagnose 20% of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction cases that were previously missed."

Sharing about the application of artificial intelligence in echocardiography, Assoc. Prof. Le Minh Khoi, PhD, MD – Head of the Department of Science and Training, Head of the Cardiovascular Imaging Unit, UMC said that applying artificial intelligence to echocardiography can significantly shorten diagnosis time from 35 - 40 minutes down to about 10 minutes. This helps reduce the workload for medical staff, limit errors, as well as save treatment costs. To date, more than 120 echocardiography cases at the Hospital have been trialed using AI and have brought very good diagnostic results.

Dr. Nguyen Binh Minh, MSc, MD – Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic Business Unit Director, AstraZeneca Vietnam Co., Ltd. shared: "We are proud to accompany the Hospital in applying AI to the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. This is not only a major step forward in improving treatment quality, but also contributes to reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease for the community, towards the advanced and sustainable development of the Health sector."

During the 2025-2027 period, the two units will continue to promote clinical research programs, train medical staff on the application of new technology, while expanding international cooperation in the field of digital transformation. These efforts will create a solid foundation for building a modern healthcare ecosystem, helping every patient access the most optimal medical solutions.