This trial was completed at St. Paul’s Hospital on Chunghwa’s 5G SA network and used an Ericsson network slicing solution
Taiwanese operator Chunghwa Telecom and Swedish vendor Ericsson have implemented network slicing technology to help improve healthcare services in Taiwan, the latter said ina release. The vendor highlighted that there is a clearly identified need for technological answers to health challenges in Taiwan presented by, among other things, an aging population.
With the aim of developing new business models for 5G, Chunghwa Telecom recently developed 5G connected ambulances utilizing Ericsson’s end-to-end network slicing technology.
This field trial was completed on Chunghwa’s 5G Standalone (SA) network in collaboration with the European vendor and St. Paul’s Hospital. With network slicing capabilities, the 5G connected ambulances allow transmission of vital signs and real-time data in high-resolution 4K videos, facilitating remote diagnosis and quicker decision-making. The companies also noted that clinicians can access diagnostic exams conducted in the field, optimizing treatment plans even before the patient arrives at the hospital. Additionally, clinicians can provide instant guidance to the paramedic to take necessary actions, ultimately saving lives and improving outcomes, the partners said.
Wang Fenglin, associate dean of St. Paul’s Hospital, highlighted that connected ambulances will play a crucial role in assisting emergency department staff in targeting treatment and prioritizing urgent cases. He went on to say that clinical assessment of the patient could only start once they arrived at the hospital in the past but now this has changed with 5G technology.
Alex Chien, president of Network Technology Group of Chunghwa Telecom, said: “The partnership between Chunghwa Telecom, Ericsson and St. Paul’s Hospital represents a significant advancement in emergency medical care. We are committed to enabling digital transformation for both public and private sectors with advanced 5G technology. This collaboration also demonstrates the power of technology to make positive impacts on the society.”
“We are delighted to work hand in hand with Chunghwa Telecom to empower medical profession with the benefits of network slicing capabilities, which can only be fully unleashed on 5G standalone networks,” said David Chou, president of Ericsson Taiwan.
According to joint research by Ericsson and Arthur D. Little, the global market size for network slicing in healthcare services is projected to reach $62 billion by 2030, with $23 billion addressable revenue for communications service providers.
According to Ericsson, network slicing is a key architectural feature in 5G SA architecture that enables multiple virtual networks to be created on a single physical network infrastructure. The vendor also noted that “different service characteristics and quality parameters can then be provided to each ‘slice’ adapted to customer needs and with full isolation between slices.”
