Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and China Resources Research Institute of Science and Technology (CRRIST), a subsidiary of China Resources Enterprise (CR Enterprise), have signed a research and development collaboration agreement to establish the CR-BU Joint Innovation Centre on Smart Chinese Medicine. The Centre aims to drive advancements in Chinese medicine and the development of an innovative Chronic Disease Management System.

The agreement lays the groundwork for closer collaboration between the two parties such as allocation of intellectual property, contributions and resources, with a detailed framework for promoting modernisation and scientific development of Chinese medicine.

Serving as a hub for cutting-edge research, innovation and collaboration in Chinese medicine, the Centre will launch an inaugural project to develop the innovative Chronic Disease Management System. The system will enable the comprehensive tracking of a patient’s medical journey, from diagnosis to treatment. It will also provide extended functions for follow-up medical care and long-term health management, which are vital for monitoring chronic disease.

By leveraging this system, Chinese medicine practitioners will have access to comprehensive and systematic patient medical histories, empowering them to make more informed treatment plans based on a deeper understanding of each patient’s health records. Simultaneously, patients will gain a clearer understanding of their treatment condition and progress through the system, facilitating them in making important medical decisions.

The system will also potentially accelerate the pace of scientific discoveries. Researchers will benefit from the invaluable pool of tracked data provided by the system. This will serve as a solid foundation for research, including the analysis of overall treatment effectiveness and the identification of responses to Chinese medicine interventions.