However, as the leader of the Taiwan Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI Taiwan), we faced numerous challenges in encouraging other Taiwanese hospitals to join the OHDSI OMOP Common Data Model. The biggest obstacle was the international standardization of data, which is a time-consuming and complex task. Many hospitals’ data formats differ significantly from international standards, and aligning these data requires considerable time, effort, and financial resources, along with addressing data security concerns.

To address these issues, we developed an automated system conversion product called Mediplug. This product helps hospitals across Taiwan align their monthly data submissions to the National Health Insurance Administration with international standards, significantly reducing the time and labor costs initially required for data conversion.

Currently, Mediplug technology has applied for a patent in the Republic of China and has been successfully implemented in one hospital. This successful implementation lays a solid foundation for expanding the product to other hospitals in Taiwan in the future.

We also analyze the specific needs and challenges of different types of hospitals to provide targeted solutions. For schools and hospitals, aligning clinical data with international standards can help them produce cross-institutional and international clinical research papers (RWE) and perform AI model validations. However, the lack of uniform data formats and the enormous workload of data alignment are major challenges they face.

Our product and service features include automated data conversion, data governance, and professional services. Mediplug can automatically convert data to meet international standards; the aligned data, combined with OHDSI tools and federated operational systems, ensures data privacy and security while keeping the data within the hospital. We possess the necessary data, technology, tools, expertise, and experience required for RWE, enabling us to efficiently provide valuable, diverse, and real-time RWE services across countries and institutions.

These efforts and achievements have allowed us to quickly adapt to OHDSI standards and processes, gain valuable experience, and produce significant research results through international collaboration. All of these have greatly enhanced our healthcare service quality and international influence.

As an associate professor at Taipei Medical University, are you finding students intrigued by the potential within OHDSI, and are they able to use the community to advance their own scholarly research?

Yes, as an Associate Professor at Taipei Medical University, I have found that students are highly intrigued by the potential of OHDSI. They actively use TMUCRD data for their own research topics and enjoy utilizing OHDSI tools, such as ATLAS, to conduct multi-national and multi-institutional data collaborations on similar themes. Since 2020, our research team has been participating in OHDSI’s APAC community calls, which have broadened the students’ research perspectives and facilitated their exchanges with international peers.

The students are also very enthusiastic about presenting their research findings at OHDSI symposiums. To date, they have attended numerous global symposiums, APAC symposiums, and European symposiums. Their active participation not only showcases our team’s research capabilities but also enhances their visibility in the international academic community.

Our team has also joined many of OHDSI’s international research projects and has co-authored several academic papers in top international journals. For example, we participated in a study led by a Korean scholar and published a paper titled “Ranitidine use and incident cancer in a multinational cohort” in JAMA Network Open. This study, which was based on multi-national data collaboration, yielded important conclusions. Additionally, our team has initiated several cross-national collaboration topics through the OHDSI network, and these projects are currently underway.

The TMU team possesses the professional skills and extensive experience required to conduct OHDSI international collaborative data analyses. We can also enhance existing European and American studies by incorporating Asian data, resulting in broader cross-national outcomes. Therefore, we welcome invitations from international academic institutions and industry to join their cross-national research projects, and we are eager to participate in these collaborations.

The OHDSI community provides students with a valuable platform to collaborate with researchers worldwide and conduct innovative research based on diverse and extensive data. This not only enhances their research capabilities but also lays a solid foundation for their academic and professional development.

OHDSI seems to be flourishing within the APAC Community, with new chapters joining an already robust community. How critical is it to continue growing the community throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and why do you think it has grown so successfully recently?

The rapid growth of the OHDSI community in the Asia-Pacific region is crucial, as it not only fosters regional medical research collaboration but also enhances the overall quality of healthcare services in the area. Our team has played an active role in this process. Given that many of our team members are from Vietnam, we recently assisted in establishing the OHDSI Vietnam Chapter. This was achieved through the collaboration between the College of Management at Taipei Medical University and the Vietnamese government, aiming to align Vietnamese hospital data formats with the OHDSI OMOP CDM.

Currently, we have signed agreements with Quang Ninh General Hospital and Bai Chay Hospital in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam, and have conducted mutual visits and exchanges between the staff. We look forward to these hospitals soon connecting their data to the OHDSI platform and to the OHDSI Vietnam Chapter becoming fully operational. This will greatly benefit Vietnam’s medical research and promote data sharing and collaborative research within the region.

The successful growth of OHDSI in the Asia-Pacific region can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there is an urgent need for standardized data, which makes medical data from different countries more comparable and usable. Secondly, the desire for international collaboration drives many countries to join OHDSI to enhance their research capabilities and influence. Additionally, OHDSI itself provides powerful tools and resources, enabling new members to quickly get up to speed and participate in international research.

Continuing to expand the OHDSI community in the Asia-Pacific region is vital, as it not only promotes the internationalization of medical research but also improves public health and healthcare service quality across the region. We believe that through collective efforts, OHDSI’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region will continue to grow, contributing significantly to global medical research.

What are some of your hobbies, and what is one interesting thing that most community members might not know about you?

My interests include making friends and traveling the world. I enjoy connecting with people from different backgrounds and cultures, which not only expands my network but also enhances my understanding of diverse cultures. Traveling the world is one of my greatest passions; I have visited over 20 countries, and each journey brings new inspiration and perspectives. Besides traveling, I love exploring local historical sites and savoring various cuisines.

One interesting fact that most community members might not know about me is that I participated in the Taipei 101 Vertical Marathon. This challenge tested my physical and mental endurance, giving me a tremendous sense of accomplishment upon completion. This experience not only helped me understand the importance of perseverance and determination but also strengthened my resolve and confidence in my professional work.