The Siriraj x MIT Hacking Medicine project is a collaboration between two leading institutions: the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, one of Thailand's foremost medical institutions, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a leading educational institution in the United States. The project's main goal is to spark health innovations for the elderly and improve their quality of life in Thailand, with the aim of extending these benefits to other developing countries in Southeast Asia.

Thailand faces a rapidly aging population, with the elderly population steadily increasing. significant healthcare challenges, including a rise in chronic diseases, increased demand for long-term care, and a shortage of medical personnel. Therefore, preparing to meet these challenges is crucial. To address these challenges, the Siriraj x MIT Hacking Medicine project combines Siriraj's medical expertise and MIT's technological capabilities to develop effective solutions for an aging society.

Prof. Apichat Asavamongkolkul Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, 
delivers the opening speech for the Siriraj x MIT program.

Project Partners and Sponsors

The success of the Siriraj x MIT Hacking Medicine project stems from the active collaboration of various sectors, including: the National Innovation Agency (NIA), a government agency supporting innovation development and ecosystem building; the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, providing medical expertise and knowledge; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a pioneer in innovation and technology; Huawei Thailand Cloud Business, providing cloud technology that enhances the capacity for storing and processing large amounts of data; Krungthai Bank, a leading financial institution providing financial support and services; CloudNurse.Co, a developer of a telehealth platform that helps the elderly access health services more conveniently and quickly; and Insurverse Insurance and Muang Thai Life Assurance Public Company Limited, insurance companies that recognize the importance of elderly care and support the project.

Seminar to Promote Quality of Life for the Elderly

Before the Siriraj x MIT Hacking Medicine Hackathon, a series of academic seminars was held on October 29, 2024, at Siriraj Hospital. These seminars aimed to provide participants with foundational knowledge and inspiration to prepare them for the hackathon. Experts, academics, and senior executives shared insights on a range of topics, including:

Professor Deborah J. Lucas and Dr. Worawan Chandoevwit 
holding a plenary session on a topic of Sustainable Pension Scheme for Developing Countries

Transitioning Healthcare Data for the Age of AI

This session explored how AI can be applied to manage healthcare data, from collection and analysis to processing and utilization in areas like disease diagnosis, drug development, and personalized healthcare. Examples included using AI to analyze medical images for abnormalities and developing AI-powered chatbots for medical consultations.

The discussion was led by Dorothea Koh (CEO and Co-founder of Bot MD), an expert in AI and health care, Kamolwat Sukumek (CEO of H Lab), a leader in HealthTech in Thailand, and Asst. Prof. Prapat Suriyaphol (Deputy Dean of Information Technology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital), an expert in medical information systems.

Healthcare Policies: How Developing Countries Should Prepare for Aging Population

In addition to data management, discussions also addressed healthcare policies for developing countries, particularly in preparing for the global challenge of an aging society. Key issues included health insurance systems, workforce development for healthcare personnel, promoting access to healthcare services, and creating elderly-friendly environments.

The discussion was led by Dr. Cheong Wei Yang (Vice Provost, Singapore Management University), a public health policy expert, Assistant Professor Sanan Visuthisakchai (Deputy Director of Siriraj Hospital), a public hospital administrator, and Dr. Pana Chandrakamol (CEO, Bangpakok Hospital Group), a private hospital administrator.

Innovation to Serve Geriatric Healthcare

This session featured a lecture by Prof.Prasert Assantachai, an expert in geriatric medicine and the president of the Thai Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Society. He shared his insights on innovations empowering the elderly to live independently, safely, and comfortably, emphasizing the crucial role of technology and community support in enhancing their quality of life.

In addition to these topics, the event featured a diverse range of seminars on critical issues related to elderly care before embarking on the Hackathon activities the following day.

Dr. Sutee Mokkhavesa, Dr.Ukrit Angkawinitwong, Assoc. Prof. Trongtum Tongdee and 
Dr Thanadet Chuangsuwanich conferring on the topic of  Scaling Aged Care using AI

The Hackathon

Following the preparatory seminars, the Hackathon, held in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), took place from November 1st to 3rd. This competition attracted a diverse group of participants, including medical students, engineers, designers, and business professionals. Over 963 people applied, and after a rigorous selection process, 149 talented individuals were chosen for their potential to develop innovative solutions for elderly care in developing countries.

The Hackathon commenced with opening remarks from Professor Dr. Apichat Asavamongkolkul, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital. He highlighted the significance of this first-ever collaboration between Siriraj Hospital and MIT for a Hackathon. Mr. Zen Chu, Academic Director of the MIT Hacking Medicine Initiative, expressed his confidence in the participants' potential. He voiced his hope that the Siriraj x MIT Hackathon would be a catalyst for developing tangible solutions to improve the quality of life for the elderly.

The competition were divided into two main themes:

1. Aging in Place: Creating solutions to support the elderly in living independently at home.

2. Geriatric Care: Improving access to specialized care services and facilities 
   for age-related health issues.

Prizes for the winning teams:

Winners (Track 1 and Track 2): 40,000 Baht and $5,000 in cloud credits.

1st Runner-up (Track 1 and Track 2): 20,000 Baht and $3,000 in cloud credits.

2nd Runner-up (Track 1 and Track 2): 10,000 Baht and $2,000 in cloud credits.

In addition to the above prizes, a special "Social Enterprise Prize" worth 20,000 Baht was awarded to the team that presented the most impactful solution for elderly care and demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the lives of the elderly in developing countries. This prize aimed to encourage and support the development of sustainable and scalable solutions with a social impact.

Hackathon Results

This Hackathon proved to be an intense and inspiring crucible of innovation, where teams collaborated and competed to devise solutions for the challenges of an aging society. The results of the competition are as follows:

Winning Teams - Track 1 - Aging in Place:

1. Winner: Team FallAIDE (Narabodee Siripensopa, Jawad Afthab, Romruedee Phisaphong, 
   and Joshua Lee) won for developing smart glasses that can detect falls and 
   immediately send alerts to caregivers or emergency services.

2. 1st Runner-up: Team Moo Deng (Sukpawat Moungsombat, Khemjirath Hengswat, 
   Phatchara Wipataphan, and Yanisa Pongsupradit) invented plant-based textiles using 
   Microcurrent technology (utilizing low-energy electrical current waves) to effectively treat 
   bedsores at an accessible price.

3. 2nd Runner-up: Team Bytables (Chanchai Chan, Montri Meeseepong, Sasatorn Sirikunsathit,
   Buris Fongruan, and Aden Barcroft) presented a food delivery service for the elderly that 
   uses AI and data to make food delivery easier and more convenient.

Winning Teams - Track 2 - Geriatric Care:

1. Winner: Team OITEP (Pattana Lee, Kasidit Wiboonkiat, Pongpanoot Kasembunyakorn,
   and Guntee Doungmanee) developed a plan to modify salt consumption behavior 
   for patients with chronic kidney disease and hypertension using scent technology, 
   helping to reduce the risk of various complications.

2. 1st Runner-up: Team EverWell (Chada Mahadumrongkul, Sirapob Seksunwiriya,
   Natchalin Kenthaworn, Prut Saowaprut, and Arucha Khematharonon) created a platform 
   designed to empower family caregivers, especially those without formal training, 
   to provide safe and effective care for the elderly. It achieves this through scheduling tools, 
   knowledge resources, and a document management system.

3. 2nd Runner-up: Team Home Rehab (Chinachod Likidsomboon, Petch Jearanaisilawong,
   Panattaporn Tangguay, Thanapond Sukonthachart, and Achariya Rojbundit) 
   proposed bringing specialized rehabilitation services, such as physical therapy 
   and occupational therapy, directly to the homes of elderly patients, reducing the need 
   for travel and improving their quality of life.

The winning Hackathon team takes a photo with the honored guests 
during the closing ceremony of the program.

Additionally, a special “Social Enterprise Prize” of 20,000 Baht was awarded to the teams with the most impactful solution for elderly care in developing countries. This prize recognizes those demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the lives of the elderly.  Two teams were honored with this award:

• Team MedShare: Presented a solution to the problem of accessibility by creating a medical 
  equipment rental center system to address the lack of access to scarce and 
  expensive medical equipment, making healthcare more affordable.

• Team BBETS: Developed a home-based health check-up kit that enables 
  “easy health check-ups at home,” eliminating the need for hospital visits and 
  improving access to healthcare for those with limited mobility.

As a culmination of the event, three outstanding participants were awarded “Golden Tickets,”:

• Thirathada Chinchapo

• Chada Mahadumronkul

• Natchalin Kenthawon

This exceptional prize includes airfare and accommodation to attend the prestigious MIT Hacking Medicine Grand Hack in Boston, USA, from March 14th to 16th, 2025.  Furthermore, the winner will receive a ticket to the Techsauce Global Summit 2025, courtesy of Techsauce, providing invaluable networking and learning opportunities.

Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presenting the “Golden Ticket” awards.

In the final segment, Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, presented the Social Enterprise Award and delivered a closing speech. He commended the creativity and dedication of the young participants who collaborated to address critical issues faced by the elderly, expressing his confidence that this project will genuinely enhance the quality of life for senior citizens in Thailand.

The Siriraj x MIT Hackathon serves as a crucial platform for driving innovation to meet the needs of the aging population in developing countries. Beyond generating cutting-edge solutions, it fosters a network of innovators committed to improving the well-being of the elderly. This collaboration between Siriraj Hospital and MIT exemplifies the power of combining expertise from diverse fields to create healthcare innovations with practical impact on a global scale.

For more information, please visit: www.SirirajxMITHackingMedicine.com

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