BEIJING – Professor Wong Tien Yin, a prominent Singaporean doctor-scientist, is at the helm of a transformative healthcare initiative in China, leveraging his expertise to address longstanding challenges within the country’s medical system. Since being appointed in 2021 as the founding head of Tsinghua Medicine at Tsinghua University, Professor Wong has aimed to reshape China’s healthcare through a model that integrates academic and healthcare systems.
Wong’s vision focuses on creating a unified structure for medical education, research, and patient care within Tsinghua University. Already, his efforts have consolidated Tsinghua’s network of medical institutes and affiliated hospitals into a cohesive ecosystem. As he explains, “You’re building an institution that lasts,” emphasizing the importance of establishing a shared mission and culture among these diverse entities.
This new academic health system will soon see the development of a campus in Haidian, Beijing, which will house an AI-driven hospital – the first of its kind in China. The AI hospital aims to shift healthcare away from a tertiary hospital-centric model and integrate telemedicine, primary care, and community health services to better serve China’s rapidly aging population. By 2040, 28% of the Chinese population is expected to be over the age of 60, intensifying demand for innovative healthcare solutions.
Professor Wong’s ambitious plans also involve fostering international partnerships, including academic exchanges with medical institutions in Singapore, the UK, and the US. His strategy involves leveraging Tsinghua’s engineering and computer science strengths to support advancements in medical technology, from robotics to imaging.
Reflecting on his experiences within the Chinese healthcare landscape, Wong highlighted the cultural nuances in decision-making, stating, “The first three years was essentially building trust.” Through persistence and adaptability, he has navigated this new environment, committed to advancing healthcare in China. Wong, who has family roots in Singapore’s academic and healthcare sectors, says he hopes to bring these innovations back to Singapore when the time is right.