Target Population

AI-assisted remote STEMI detection uses QT Medical’s mini 12-lead ECG and single-use patches in ambulances, extending acute cardiac diagnosis to community, home, and rural care.

Description

The development of an AI-assisted system integrated with a compact 12-lead ECG device for use in prehospital ambulances aims to enable remote STEMI diagnosis prior to hospital arrival, expediting patient management processes. The implementation of a 24/7 AI-assisted remote STEMI ECG diagnostic system facilitates rapid and highly accurate prehospital STEMI diagnosis, helping to reduce contact-to-treatment time and ensuring that STEMI patients receive timely revascularization therapy.

Key Highlights

Integrating the prehospital emergency medical system with the fire rescue service, and equipping ambulances with compact 12-lead ECG devices and AI interpretation, enables the reduction of symptom-to-door time.

Service Data

Starting in June 2021, a prehospital remote ECG diagnostic program was implemented in 8 fire stations in Taichung City and 6 fire stations in Nantou County. The program was later expanded to 30 fire stations. Between June 11, 2021, and July 27, 2024, a total of 8,245 prehospital AI-assisted ECG diagnoses were performed. Among these, AI identified STEMI in 357 cases, with an interpretation time of 37 seconds and an accuracy rate of 99%.

Featured Outcomes

We adopted a milestone-based technology transfer process under the university’s SOPs, with quality control at each stage for transfer to EVER FORTUNE AI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. Milestone 1: ECG Function Definition The team reviewed the company’s requirements and assessed database readiness by data volume, clinical needs, and target market alignment. Milestone 2: ECG Data Annotation Physicians annotated ECG data for supervised AI learning. EVER FORTUNE’s quality assurance team reviewed the labels against software specifications. Milestone 3: AI Model Development EVER FORTUNE trained the AI model using the annotated dataset. The model was installed in the lead physician’s clinic for verification and refinement. Milestone 4: Academic Publication After target performance was achieved, the lead physician published evidence to validate clinical utility, support proof of concept, and strengthen market readiness. Milestone 5: Case Validation EVER FORTUNE’s regulatory team collected case data and technical documents, designed the validation plan, and prepared the clinical study plan for device submission. Milestone 6: Commercialization Since June 2020, engineers and physicians have integrated portable ECG devices with AI software for prehospital emergency use. Consistency between GE ECG and QT ECG signals and AI interpretation was validated before community deployment. The system was commercialized and obtained a medical device license from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Safety Outcomes

This service is designed as an AI-assisted clinical decision support system, not a replacement for physician judgment. AI ECG results are reviewed by online physicians for final diagnostic confirmation. The system uses disposable portable 12-lead ECG patches, simplifying prehospital operation and reducing the potential infection risk associated with repeated use of conventional ECG cables. From June 17, 2021 to February 28, 2026, the Smart Heart platform was implemented in Taichung, Nantou, and Penghu, supporting 13,505 prehospital ECG interpretations and assisting in the identification of 625 STEMI cases. The system operates 24/7, with ECG data and AI results transmitted through 4G/5G networks, reducing prehospital interpretation delays and enabling earlier activation of emergency and catheterization teams.

Satisfaction

User satisfaction was evaluated based on feedback from frontline firefighters and EMT personnel. After system implementation, a survey was conducted among 59 firefighters. After one training session, 89.1% were able to successfully record a 12-lead ECG on their first attempt, while the remaining users were able to complete the recording after repeated operation. In addition, 98.2% of users could successfully view the AI interpretation results in the real-time communication group. Overall satisfaction among frontline EMT users exceeded 90%, reflecting the system’s ease of use, rapid result return, and suitability for prehospital emergency care.

International Achievements

Published 4 related international SCI papers.
Awarded the 17th (2020) and 19th (2022) National Innovation Awards.
Received the 2022 National Healthcare Quality Award.
Honored with the 2022 Taipei Biotech Award.
Awarded the 2022 National Biotechnology and Medical Quality Award.
Recognized with the Outstanding Healthcare Honorable Mention at the 24th National Healthcare Quality Award in 2023.
Received the 2023 National Innovation Excellence Award.

Benefits and Impacts

This service integrates AI-assisted ECG interpretation into emergency and prehospital care, enabling earlier STEMI recognition and faster catheterization team activation. From June 17, 2021 to February 28, 2026, the system supported 13,505 prehospital ECG interpretations and assisted in identifying 625 STEMI cases, with deployment across 35 sites in Taichung, Nantou, and Penghu. It shortens prehospital ECG interpretation time, improves emergency D2B workflow, and enhances regional AMI care quality and emergency response efficiency.