Convergence of advanced medtech, medical knowledge sharing cloud and agentic AI heralds a new heart failure management solution for heart failure patients
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 August 2026 – Singaporean doctor Dr Wei Siang Yu, Founder of HeartSpan.ai, has led a cross-border collaboration that enabled Indonesia's first successful implantation of the world's smallest and lightest left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The milestone forms part of the Singapore-led healthcare platform's broader effort to build a regional model that helps hospitals adopt advanced heart failure therapies by combining MedTech with cross-border specialist expertise, structured clinical training, medical knowledge sharing cloud and agentic AI support.
The model was put to its first real-world test at Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta. HeartSpan.ai, the heart longevity division of Borderless Healthcare Group (BHG), connected RSCM with the world's smallest and lightest LVAD, an intensive training programme at Fuwai Hospital in Beijing and support from Fuwai specialists during the first procedure.
On 1 August 2026, RSCM's cardiovascular team completed Indonesia's first successful implantation of the device, also marking its first successful use in Southeast Asia. The recipient was a 45-year-old woman with advanced heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 14%. Beyond the clinical milestone, the programme tests whether a hospital can establish the multidisciplinary systems needed to sustain the therapy after visiting specialists leave.
That capability question is also relevant to Singapore, where the National Heart Centre estimates that heart failure affects 4-5% of the population, compared with 1-2% globally. HeartSpan.ai's proposition is that Singapore can use its specialist expertise to organise regional networks through which technology, training and clinical knowledge travel together. The initiative comes as the country begins implementing its S$37 billion RIE2030 plan, focusing on advancing biomedtech and biomanufacturing, and translating research and innovation into practical healthcare solutions.
Led by Singaporean founder Dr Wei Siang Yu, HeartSpan.ai is positioning this as a new model for cross-border healthcare innovation. Its approach combines physical implementation and specialist training on the ground with a medical knowledge-sharing cloud and agentic AI, allowing clinical expertise and care models to be transferred, retained and replicated beyond an individual procedure. The Indonesia programme provides the first real-world demonstration of how this model can work.
As HeartSpan.ai expands the model into other markets, the company aims to establish Singapore as the base from which its healthcare technologies, clinical models and intellectual property can be deployed across the region. This comes as Singapore begins implementing its S$37 billion RIE2030 plan, with biomedtech and biomanufacturing among its priorities and an emphasis on translating research and innovation into practical applications. HeartSpan.ai's regional expansion demonstrates how Singapore-based healthcare companies can contribute to that position by taking locally led innovation and new healthcare business models into international markets.
"What we are building is not a traditional medical services model. We are creating an IP-led healthcare model that brings together medical technology, clinical protocols and procedures, specialist know-how, training, agentic AI and a medical knowledge-sharing cloud into one scalable platform. By converging the online and offline elements of healthcare delivery, that intellectual property and capability can be deployed into different markets rather than remaining tied to one hospital or geography. Indonesia is the first demonstration of how this model can work in practice, and our ambition is to scale it across the region," said Dr Wei Siang Yu, Founder and Chairman of BHG and Founder of HeartSpan.ai.
"The successful implantation of the LVAD is a significant achievement, not only for RSCM but also for the advancement of healthcare services regionally. This accomplishment demonstrates that Indonesia is capable of providing advanced cardiovascular therapies that meet international standards through collaboration with global partners, strengthening the competencies of healthcare professionals, and leveraging the latest healthcare technologies. Most importantly, this milestone brings new hope to patients with advanced heart failure, who previously had very limited treatment options," said Dr. Supriyanto Dharmoredjo, President Director of RSCM.
The introduction of LVAD implantation expands access to highly specialized cardiovascular care, reduces the need for eligible patients to seek complex treatment overseas, and strengthens Indonesia's national capabilities in advanced heart failure management.
"Successful LVAD therapy extends far beyond the operating theatre. It requires rigorous patient selection, seamless coordination between cardiologists, surgeons, intensivists, nurses and LVAD coordinators, as well as structured long-term follow-up. Through our collaboration with HeartSpan.ai and Fuwai Hospital, RSCM has established the multidisciplinary care model, clinical protocols and specialist capabilities needed to build a sustainable advanced heart failure program for Indonesia," said Dr. Birry Karim, Head of the Cardiovascular Department at RSCM.
"Our patient's recovery has been encouraging. She has successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation and extubated at post-op day 1. Her condition has stabilized, and rehabilitation has already begun. While the post-operative period remains critical and requires close monitoring, these early clinical outcomes are very encouraging. This successful implantation demonstrates what can be achieved through meticulous surgical planning and multidisciplinary teamwork. We look forward to offering this life-saving therapy to more eligible patients in Indonesia," said Dr. M. Arza Putra, Lead Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon at RSCM.
Building on this milestone, HeartSpan.ai envisions a future where artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine and advanced mechanical circulatory support converge within an integrated ecosystem to extend life, optimise healthspan and transform the management of advanced heart failure. Beyond advancing patient care, this initiative led by HeartSpan.ai and implemented locally through Indonesia.md, BHG's Indonesia-focused subsidiary and the exclusive distributor of the LVAD in Indonesia, aims to accelerate the transfer of advanced medical technologies from China and other countries to Indonesia, strengthening local capabilities through specialist education, knowledge transfer, research collaboration and, ultimately, an introduction of advanced medical device manufacturing in Indonesia.
Hashtag: #medtech #medicaltechnology #cardiovascular #surgery
https://www.heartspan.ai/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About HeartSpan.ai
HeartSpan.ai is a heart longevity division of Borderless Healthcare Group. It is the world’s first heart longevity cloud designed to democratize services, innovations and content from the best-of-class cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiovascular scientists, LVAD coordinators, innovators and other relevant allied health professionals to support heart longevity programs in hospitals, clinics, homes and resorts/hotels. For more information, visit https://www.heartspan.ai/ .
About RSCM
Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital (RSCM) is Indonesia's premier hospital and serves as the government's national referral hospital under the Ministry of Health, located in Central Jakarta, Indonesia. RSCM aims to be a leading national referral hospital, excelling in services, education, and research that meet international standards. Established in 1919 under the original name *Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekeninrichting* (Central Civil Medical Institution), RSCM operates with 1,181 inpatient beds. The hospital is committed to providing comprehensive, professional healthcare of international quality; delivering universal healthcare services—both institution- and community based—through an Academic Health System (AHS); conducting education and research that produce outstanding medical and health professionals; operating as a "Smart Hospital"; and maintaining a hospital management system characterized by reliable and accountable governance. For further information, please visit www.rscm.co.id.
About Indonesia.md
Indonesia.md is the Indonesia-focused subsidiary of Borderless Healthcare Group and the exclusive distributor of the world’s smallest and lightest LVAD. Indonesia.md is positioned as the first-of-its-kind medical knowledge sharing cloud in Indonesia designed to enable healthcare as a knowledge-based economy in hospitals, clinics and homes as well as healthcare as an experience-based business in resorts/hotels. For more information, visit https://indonesia.md/.
** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Anchored by the TIGER framework, CUHK leaps toward new heights of academic excellence and global impact
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 August 2026 – The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today (6 August) unveiled its new five-year strategic plan, titled "CUHK 2026-2030: Leaping to Greatness" (the "CUHK 2026-2030"), outlining the University's development priorities and strategic direction for the next five years. With the ambition to create greater impact on humanity and global communities, CUHK adheres to its vision of becoming a first-class comprehensive research university whose scholarly output, bilingual and multicultural education, and community contributions consistently meet global standards of excellence. As a publicly funded university, CUHK will leverage its strengths in talent cultivation, knowledge innovation and global engagement to contribute to the development of China and the Hong Kong SAR in alignment with priorities in the national 15th Five-Year Plan and the city's first five-year planning.
CUHK hosts a media luncheon to launch its five-year strategic plan. (From left) Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming and Professor John Chai Yat-chiu
The "TIGER" action framework of CUHK 2026–2030 forms five interconnected strategic directions. It reflects a united, well-coordinated and actionable commitment from the entire University to progressively realise our vision of "Leaping to Greatness" that symbolises CUHK's continued evolution to pursue purpose-driven excellence, impact-oriented outcomes and lasting societal contributions with innovation, rigour and responsibility.
The five interconnected strategic pillars in CUHK 2026–2030 include:
- T – Talent Attraction and Development
- I – Institutional Development
- G – Global and Alumni Engagement
- E – Education and Student Experience
- R – Research and Innovation
Embracing the new vision with agility characterised in the spirit of a tiger
In his remarks, Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, said: "The five key areas of the Strategic Plan form the 'TIGER' action framework that embodies courage, agility and drive, underscoring CUHK's development vision which will be realised through precise planning and rigorous execution. CUHK will continue to drive breakthroughs in life and health sciences, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum science and other frontier fields, and participate in national scientific research initiatives, leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages and position as China's most international city, with an aim of cultivating world-class talent and new knowledge that benefit the world."
Aligning with the strategic planning of China and the Hong Kong SAR
Professor Lo said: "CUHK 2026-2030is the first five-year strategic plan formulated since I assumed office in 2025. It marks a major milestone in the University's development in timely alignment with the five-year planning of China and the Hong Kong SAR. At a time of profound global transformation, technological advances are reshaping the world and redefining the role of universities in society. CUHK has joined the world's top 20 for the first time in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, rising to the 18th place. This is a testament to the University's progress in the past 63 years signifying our global academic influence."
Professor John Chai Yat-chiu, Chairman of the CUHK Council; Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Professor Isabella Poon Wai-yin, Provost of CUHK, Professor Anthony Chan Tak-cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Alumni / Community Engagement & Institutional Advancement), Professor Jiang Liwen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research & External Affairs) and Mr Albert Chow Hing-pong, Vice-President (Administration), together with other members of the University's senior management, attended the media luncheon today to mark the official launch.
Creating value to benefit humanity
Professor Isabella Poon Wai-yin, Provost of CUHK, introduced the University's priority areas and said: "In face of global challenges such as the AI revolution, sustainable development and climate change, universities carry an unprecedentedly vital mission. A truly impactful university does not merely respond to the present needs of the era, but will also actively shape the direction of our future. Through interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector collaborations, we aim to translate CUHK's deep academic foundation, unique collegiate system and global network into a driving force for social progress and innovation."
Team spirit of CUHK leadership in co-creating the development blueprint
The formulation of CUHK 2026-2030 was a year-long collaborative effort overseen by the Strategic Plan Steering Committee chaired by Professor Lo with support from the senior management team and consultation from the broad CUHK community, from conceptualisation, drafting to visual design. This multi-faceted collaboration fully demonstrates the team spirit of the CUHK community in propelling the University toward a new chapter. The visual design of the Strategic Plan agenda features circular lines and patterns representing the letters "C" and "U" for CUHK. The concentric-circle motif also symbolises CUHK members coming together like concentric circles, uniting their strengths to work towards common goals. The visual palette centres on the university colours of purple and gold, representing passion and loyalty (purple), alongside perseverance and resolve (gold). For details of the Strategic Plan, please refer to https://www.cuhk2030.cuhk.edu.hk.
The visual design of the Strategic Plan agenda features circular lines and patterns representing the letters
Key Initiatives
Establishing the 10th College for postgraduates
CUHK will establish a postgraduate college as its 10th college. This initiative will extend the University's long-standing collegiate system to the postgraduate community, creating a vibrant, international environment for cross-disciplinary dialogue, holistic development and lifelong networking.
In addition, CUHK will develop flagship international undergraduate programmes and signature schemes embedding innovation, entrepreneurship and concepts of sustainability into the curriculum. It will also strengthen industry-academia collaboration and knowledge transfer to attract and nurture outstanding local and international innovative talents. CUHK will also revitalise its General Education curriculum with national and global perspectives. Moreover, the University will strengthen collaboration with CUHK-Shenzhen and other institutions in the GBA and expand opportunities for exchange and internships abroad to support students' holistic development and lifelong learning.
Attracting global talent and expanding international impact
CUHK will leverage its strengths as an international research university to attract outstanding students, scholars and researchers from around the world, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. Currently, approximately 56% of CUHK's professors come from outside Hong Kong while the University achieved a perfect score in the QS international faculty ratio indicator, demonstrating its success in attracting top academic talent globally.
This year, applications from non-local students increased by about 20% compared with last year. Applications from regions outside the Chinese Mainland rose even more significantly, by 75%, with most applicants coming from Southeast Asia and the Middle East, reflecting CUHK's growing international appeal. To attract exceptional students, CUHK launched the Fenghuang Scholarship this year. The scholarship offers outstanding students who achieve excellent results in local and overseas public examinations financial support, together with overseas exchange opportunities. Through this initiative, the University aims to attract high-calibre young talent and nurture future leaders with a global vision, innovative capabilities and a strong sense of social responsibility.
Driving interdisciplinary research to address global challenges
CUHK will seize opportunities arising from the Northern Metropolis, the Hetao Cooperation Zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, while focusing on frontier fields including life and health technologies, AI, quantum science and green technology. The University will further integrate into the national research and innovation ecosystem and actively participate in major scientific initiatives spanning space, polar research and deep-sea studies, fostering comprehensive development from Antarctic expeditions and space missions to the translation of world-class innovations.
In recent years, CUHK has been actively demonstrating its research excellence. Notable achievements include the successful launch of CUHK Sat-1, the world's first AI satellite dedicated to urban sustainable development, and leading the development of the laser heterodyne spectrometer selected for the nation's Tianwen-3 Mars exploration mission. These accomplishments underscore the University's pivotal role in supporting national strategic science and technology development. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics, an InnoHK centre established by CUHK, founded Hong Kong's first full-stack embodied intelligence laboratory in 2026 to drive frontier technologies in embodied AI and robotics, further consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international innovation and technology hub.
Hashtag: #CUHK #2026-2030 #five-year #strategicplan
https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/
https://www.linkedin.com/school/13045
https://x.com/cuhkofficial
https://www.facebook.com/CUHKofficial
https://www.instagram.com/thechineseuniversityofhongkong/
https://www.youtube.com/user/CUHKchannel
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation and world-leading rankings. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. Under the University's unique collegiate system, the programmes and activities offered by its nine colleges complement the formal curricula by delivering whole-person education and pastoral care. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All faculties are actively engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines, with an array of research institutes and research centres specialising in interdisciplinary research of the highest quality.
** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
