Microsoft Japan to Launch Azure Health Data Services in Japanese Region by H1 2023

Details

On March 23rd, Microsoft Japan announced that 'Azure Health Data Services' would be available in the Japanese region during the first half of 2023. This service is an evolution of 'Azure API for FHIR,' adhering to FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), and functions as a solution for integrating diverse data types in the cloud. The platform enables real-time visualization and analysis by linking various sources, including structured data, DICOM image data, and IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) data from wearable devices. This supports the realization of precision medicine—personalized medical care. In AI applications, advancements include using OpenAI's ChatGPT for automating patient communication and searching medical literature, and utilizing GPT-4 for advanced diagnostic support with medical images. Furthermore, Microsoft Research developed 'BioGPT,' specialized for biomedicine, enabling conversational information retrieval from PubMed. They also announced 'DAX Express' with Nuance Communications to drastically reduce clinical note creation time. In genomics, the service provides a platform that supports everything from data linkage and advanced analysis to BI (Business Intelligence), facilitating cloud migration and AI-driven generation of new health/disease information, as seen in projects like those at Tokyo University Institute of Medical Science. Additionally, Microsoft is actively involved in securing Japanese medical information through participation in Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare commissioned cybersecurity initiatives.