Facing Super-Aged Society: Taipei Veterans General Hospital Uses AI to Target Roots of Aging and Reduce Unhealthy Life Expectancy
As Taiwan approaches a super-aged society, Taipei Veterans General Hospital held its Geriatrics Center's 20th-anniversary conference, declaring a shift towards using AI and biomarkers to intervene at the 'roots of aging' before chronic diseases occur.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 22:19
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Central News Agency (Reporter Shen Pei-chi, Taipei, 18th) - As Taiwan enters a super-aged society, healthy late-life years have become a focal point. Today, Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) hosted an international academic conference to mark the 20th anniversary of its Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. The hospital announced its intention to move upstream from disease treatment by using innovative technologies like AI to 'directly tackle the root causes of aging' and reduce unhealthy life expectancy.
Taiwan's average life expectancy continues to lengthen and now exceeds 80 years. However, the average number of unhealthy years stands at 8.4. In other words, Taiwanese citizens spend roughly 10% of their lifespan in an unhealthy state, potentially bedridden, in a wheelchair, or requiring daily care assistance.
Today, the Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at TVGH gathered prominent domestic and international experts to discuss the development trends of integrated care and smart healthcare in a super-aged society. The event showcased Taiwan's key achievements in geriatric medicine over the past 20 years and its international influence.
Taiwan will officially become a 'super-aged society' by the end of 2025. Rapid population aging brings significant challenges to medical and long-term care systems. TVGH Superintendent Chen Wei-ming noted in his speech that since the Veterans Affairs Council launched the 'Geriatric Medicine Development Project' in 2004, TVGH established its Geriatrics Center in 2006, making it one of the pioneer institutions in Taiwan to promote integrated geriatric healthcare.
Dr. Chen Liang-kung, a leading authority on geriatric medicine and Superintendent of Guandu Hospital, delivered a speech titled 'A 20-Year Journey of Geriatric Health Research in the Veterans Medical System.' He noted that over half of Taiwan's seniors over 65 have three or more chronic diseases simultaneously, making integrated care crucial. TVGH was the first institution in Taiwan to launch an integrated geriatric outpatient clinic, which improved seniors' quality of life and reduced medical costs. The successful results of their Post-Acute Care (PAC) initiatives were later expanded nationwide by the National Health Insurance Administration.
Discussing future developments, Dr. Chen Liang-kung emphasized in a post-conference interview that while geriatric medicine previously focused on caring for complex patients—treating the 'results of aging'—it must now move upstream to handle the 'root causes of aging.' This is earlier than current concepts of disease prevention and health promotion. By combining biomarkers with AI, medical professionals can more accurately predict organ aging and intervene before chronic diseases even occur. Proactive and effective regulation can compress unhealthy life expectancy, ensuring that the end of life is not spent in an unhealthy state.
TVGH stated that this conference, themed 'Retrospect, Heritage, and Innovation,' not only reviewed the developmental history and policy achievements of geriatric medicine but also focused on sharing practical experiences of integrated care models and future directions. The goal is to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and international connections to build a patient-centered, sustainable geriatric care system.
Taiwan's average life expectancy continues to lengthen and now exceeds 80 years. However, the average number of unhealthy years stands at 8.4. In other words, Taiwanese citizens spend roughly 10% of their lifespan in an unhealthy state, potentially bedridden, in a wheelchair, or requiring daily care assistance.
Today, the Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at TVGH gathered prominent domestic and international experts to discuss the development trends of integrated care and smart healthcare in a super-aged society. The event showcased Taiwan's key achievements in geriatric medicine over the past 20 years and its international influence.
Taiwan will officially become a 'super-aged society' by the end of 2025. Rapid population aging brings significant challenges to medical and long-term care systems. TVGH Superintendent Chen Wei-ming noted in his speech that since the Veterans Affairs Council launched the 'Geriatric Medicine Development Project' in 2004, TVGH established its Geriatrics Center in 2006, making it one of the pioneer institutions in Taiwan to promote integrated geriatric healthcare.
Dr. Chen Liang-kung, a leading authority on geriatric medicine and Superintendent of Guandu Hospital, delivered a speech titled 'A 20-Year Journey of Geriatric Health Research in the Veterans Medical System.' He noted that over half of Taiwan's seniors over 65 have three or more chronic diseases simultaneously, making integrated care crucial. TVGH was the first institution in Taiwan to launch an integrated geriatric outpatient clinic, which improved seniors' quality of life and reduced medical costs. The successful results of their Post-Acute Care (PAC) initiatives were later expanded nationwide by the National Health Insurance Administration.
Discussing future developments, Dr. Chen Liang-kung emphasized in a post-conference interview that while geriatric medicine previously focused on caring for complex patients—treating the 'results of aging'—it must now move upstream to handle the 'root causes of aging.' This is earlier than current concepts of disease prevention and health promotion. By combining biomarkers with AI, medical professionals can more accurately predict organ aging and intervene before chronic diseases even occur. Proactive and effective regulation can compress unhealthy life expectancy, ensuring that the end of life is not spent in an unhealthy state.
TVGH stated that this conference, themed 'Retrospect, Heritage, and Innovation,' not only reviewed the developmental history and policy achievements of geriatric medicine but also focused on sharing practical experiences of integrated care models and future directions. The goal is to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and international connections to build a patient-centered, sustainable geriatric care system.