UChicago Medicine is providing the Ministry of Health and Welfare with curriculum development guidance, remote online coursework and on-site training at the University of Chicago Medical Center to help address the growing need for chief medical information officers (CMIOs) in Taiwan.

Graduates of the programme will return to their respective medical centers to spearhead advancements in medical informatics, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and cybersecurity.

While the CMIO role is well-established in the US healthcare system, it's an emerging necessity in Taiwan, where responsibilities are expanding to include the deployment of clinical AI tools and leadership in smart digital healthcare.

CMIOs serve as senior physician executives who bridge the gap between technology and clinical practice. They align clinical strategy and governance with IT implementation to ensure that technology enhances, rather than hinders, frontline care.

The Taiwanese CMIO Training Programme will provide professional development in four domains:

• Medical informatics: Modernizing electronic health records, enhancing clinical decision support, establishing virtual care models and enabling meaningful data exchange across different systems and applications.
• Big data analytics: Managing complex datasets, building data governance frameworks and applying analytics to drive both clinical and operational improvements.
• Clinical AI: Evaluating, validating and monitoring AI tools; integrating them into workflows; and ensuring their safe, equitable and clinically aligned use.
• Cybersecurity and privacy: Assessing security and privacy risks, managing identity and access controls, and implementing protective measures to safeguard sensitive clinical data.

Approximately 50 Taiwanese physician executives nominated by their medical centers will complete online courses offered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s newly established Taiwan Smart Healthcare School, many featuring lectures from UChicago Medicine experts. Following a competitive interview process, a select group of candidates will receive Ministry of Health and Welfare support to participate in a six-month on-site training programme at the University of Chicago Medical Center, hub of the UChicago Medicine health system.

During their time in Chicago, trainees will gain hands-on experience by embedding in real-world projects and collaborating with seasoned informatics leaders at UChicago Medicine.