Background of the project

Technological innovation is essential for sustainable growth in the healthcare industry and is a key driver of socio-economic development. Digital medical technologies such as artificial intelligence and telemedicine have seen developmental breakthroughs and widespread applications, providing unprecedented technical support for combating the COVID-19 pandemic in areas such as maintaining social distancing. Looking ahead, innovations in medical technology in the post-pandemic era will undoubtedly continue to lead the future direction of human health development.

With surgery being an inherently invasive operation, there have been continuous efforts to reduce injuries and complications by using more innovative instruments, skillful techniques, and minimally invasive approaches such as natural orifices and percutaneous or laparoscopic methods. Medical robots, empowered by digital technology and artificial intelligence, enhance the quality and efficiency of minimally invasive medicine at appropriate sites and are increasingly becoming a novel tool for improving healthcare quality in the 21st century.

Modern medicine has made great contributions to human life, health and well-being, and one of the core sources undoubtedly lies in human innovation and market competition in medical technology. Forming an effective and reasonable price mechanism based on the comprehensive value of scientifically understanding new technologies is key for promoting sustainable innovation in medical technology. In this regard, Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development  (GHD) and the China Medical Equipment Association jointly launched a large-scale public scientific research project on May 19, 2023: "Survey of Medical Assessment for Robot Technology" (SMART). This project aims to systematically track the clinical practice and development trends of medical robots through real-world national cohort surveys and health technology assessments. Scientific analysis of the comprehensive value of medical robots will better promote value payment and rational application of digital healthcarethus contributing to the achievement of the development goals of Healthy China and Digital China. In November of the same year, to promote the SMART cohort project, GHD launched a parallel study plan with a one-year research period, selecting and funding up to 10 outstanding research plans on surgical robot health technology assessment (HTA) annually.

Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development (PI institution)  

Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development (www.ghd.pku.edu.cn) was founded in 2020, with Professor Gordon G. Liu as the founding dean. As an interdisciplinary research institution of Peking University, the Institute for Global Health and Development brings together an array of multi-disciplinary fields including health economics, healthcare, international relations, climate environment, etc. with aims of setting global health in the framework of human development and pursuing the core value of “One World, One Health”. The institute explores solutions to major global health issues, promotes China’s active participation in global health governance, and contributes to improving the health and wellbeing of  all through scientific research, talent training, industry-academia research cooperation, and international exchange and collaboration.

China Association of Medical Equipment (Co-PI institution)

The China Association of Medical Equipment (https://www.yxzb.org.cn) is a national, industrial, and nonprofit social organization registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It serves government departments, hospitals, scientific research institutions, and health enterprises. The Association is a platform for academic and technical exchange coordinated by clinical experts, equipment management professionals, medical workers, scientific researchers, and R&D-based and industrial enterprises. With 68 professional branches, the Association has 1,523 group members and 16,566 individual members. The scope of its core business includes  policy consultation, research, industry consultation, education & training, capacity-building, group standards and management, exhibition & display, national and international academic and technical exchanges, journal publication, intellectual property, as well as application and promotion. As a platform for knowledge exchange between industry and academia, the Association has pledged to continue to build an innovative, open environment to enhance communication and cooperation, thus becoming an important player in the development of the “Healthy China” initiative.

Colorectal Cancer Cohort Study Leaders

PI	Clinical team leader	Co-leader	Co-leader
Gordon G. Liu Dean of the Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development, Director of the China Center for Health Economics Research  at Peking University, Member of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.	WAN Jianping Honorary President of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, former Executive Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University, Honorary President of Foresea Life Insurance Guangzhou General Hospital.	XU Jianmin Director of the Colorectal Cancer Center and Colorectal Surgery Department at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Director of Shanghai Colorectal Tumor Minimally Invasive Engineering Technology  Research Center.	CAI Sanjun Chief expert of the Colorectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Collaboration Group of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Director of the Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Fudan University.