Shanghai-based Zhongshan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University, officially inaugurated its Meta Medical Simulation Laboratory on Monday, marking a pivotal development in the institution's efforts to transition towards intelligent healthcare and deepen its exploration of the meta-medical field.

The establishment of the lab also signified a new phase of high-quality development for a global smart hospital model, jointly built with tech giants, such as smart city solutions provider INESA (Group) Co Ltd, Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare and Huawei.

The lab integrates artificial intelligence technology throughout the entire diagnostic and treatment processes, showcasing innovative forms of smart healthcare. Through immersive real-world scenarios, the lab demonstrates Zhongshan Hospital's achievements in digital and intelligent construction and technical implementation, covering core areas of outpatient services, wards, operating rooms, intensive care units and medical examinations, extending to post-hospital care.

Serving as a milestone in the construction of a national pilot base for AI application in the medical field, the lab not only demonstrates the potentials of future healthcare, but also provides a critical platform for AI technology validation and simulation. According to hospital executives, the lab will allow the mapping out of future smart medical institutions.

Luo Meng, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said establishing a national pilot base for AI application allows for the strategic integration of medicine with digital intelligence. As a leader in the field, Zhongshan Hospital has been committed to the comprehensive integration of AI with clinical, research and management services.

"The ultimate goal is to shift the medical paradigm from 'reactive treatment' to 'predictive intervention and personalized regulation', benefiting more patients," he said.

Gu Jianying, Party secretary of Zhongshan Hospital, said the hospital, in collaboration with private enterprise, has already developed several domain-specific large models and derived intelligent applications.

"Moving forward, the hospital will leverage the resources of the simulation lab to collaborate with ecosystem partners, conducting AI technology application pilots represented by large models," Gu said.

"This will help construct a comprehensive smart healthcare system that covers the entire processes."