According to Zhito Finance App, Haitong Securities released a research report stating that AI-assisted diagnosis, as an extension item, is included in the project initiation guidelines. AI is an important development trend in the medical and health field, and a series of policies have been introduced to standardize and promote the development of AI in healthcare, driving the high-quality development of smart healthcare technology and services. With the advancement of AI technology and the gradual implementation of application scenarios, AI technology is empowering medical services to improve quality and efficiency, showing great potential for growth in the AI healthcare industry.

The main points of Haitong Securities are as follows:

AI-assisted diagnosis is included as an extension item in the project initiation guidelines.

On November 23, the National Healthcare Security Administration interpreted and released the 17th batch of medical services price project initiation guidelines. The medical services price project is the pricing unit for diagnostic and treatment services provided by medical institutions, involving a total of 271 main projects, 250 additional items, and 88 extension items. To support relatively mature AI-assisted technologies in clinical applications, while preventing additional burdens on patients, the National Healthcare Security Administration has established the "AI-assisted diagnosis" extension item in radiology, ultrasound examinations, and rehabilitation projects, but currently, there is no duplicated charge.

AI technology empowers medical services to improve quality and efficiency.

The National Healthcare Security Administration pointed out that AI technology plays a role in auxiliary diagnosis or improving efficiency to a certain extent in clinical practice. For example, AI technology, based on a large number of historical cases, can assist doctors in quickly identifying lung CT images, recognizing small nodules, and even tiny nodules, which helps to improve the accuracy and efficiency of doctors' diagnoses. However, it cannot currently replace physician diagnoses and has clarified that in cases where independent medical service output is not yet available and the quality and effectiveness of auxiliary diagnosis are difficult to determine, no additional charges should be imposed on patients solely for AI-assisted diagnosis after the corresponding examination fees for diagnosis have been collected.

The project guideline arranges the expansion item "AI-assisted diagnosis" and indicates that hospitals using AI for auxiliary diagnosis will execute at the same price level as the main project, but without repetitive charges, to avoid increasing the burden on patients.

Policies continue to intensify, promoting the high-quality development of smart healthcare technologies and services.

In May 2022, the General Office of the State Council issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for National Health", which pointed out that emerging information technologies such as AI should be actively promoted to realize smart medical services, real-time monitoring and assessment of personal health, disease early warning, and chronic disease screening. In January 2024, the National Bureau of Data and other departments jointly released the "Data Factor ×" Three-Year Action Plan (2024-2026), proposing to orderly release the value of health and medical data, and to expand new models and new formats for data application in smart healthcare and smart health management.

On November 14, the National Health Commission, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention jointly issued the "Reference Guidelines for AI Application Scenarios in the Health Sector", covering 13 major categories including medical services, pharmaceutical services, medical insurance services, traditional Chinese medicine management services, and hospital management, which include 84 sub-application scenarios such as intelligent auxiliary diagnosis in medical imaging, intelligent assistance in clinical medication, and intelligent auditing of medical insurance, actively promoting the innovative development of "AI +" applications in the health sector.

Investment recommendations: it is suggested to pay attention to Winning Health Technology Group (300253.SZ), b-soft co.,ltd. (300451.SZ), Jiahe Meikang (688246.SH), sichuan jiuyuan yinhai software (002777.SZ), shanghai runda medical technology (603108.SH), and neusoft corporation (600718.SH).

Risk warnings: AI development may fall short of expectations; market competition may intensify; policy advancement may not meet expectations.