“AI adjusts operating room schedules and counsels patients”... KT expands hospital-tailored AX

[Financial News] KT is moving to expand its healthcare AI transformation (AX) business, applying artificial intelligence (AI) across hospital operations, from operating room scheduling to patient consultations. It plans to strengthen partnerships with healthcare institutions by promoting a standardized model that allows hospitals to selectively adopt the AI services they need based on their individual systems and data environments.
KT said on the 21st that it had held the “KT AXis: Healthcare 2026” seminar at Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Botanic Park in Gangseo District, Seoul. Around 60 hospital representatives from across the country attended, including those from tertiary general hospitals and regional hub public hospitals.
The seminar was organized to introduce the “healthcare standardization model” KT unveiled on the 1st and share trends in AX in healthcare and examples of innovation at leading hospitals.
The healthcare standardization model is an AX model that integrates everything from telecommunications and cloud infrastructure to healthcare data platforms and AI services. It is built around common challenges faced by healthcare institutions, including improving the patient care experience, enhancing the quality and convenience of care for medical staff, and increasing hospital operating efficiency. A key feature is that hospitals can introduce the services they need in stages, according to their existing systems and data environments.
KT also showcased key AI services that can be used in healthcare settings. Its healthcare data platform standardizes and links information dispersed across hospitals—including electronic medical records, medical images, and testing and research data—to provide an environment for AI use.
The “Operating Room Scheduling Agent” supports operating room scheduling by taking into account surgery, bed, and staffing availability. If the schedule changes because of a cancellation, delay, emergency, or other situation, it recommends an alternative schedule. At the event, KT presented a demonstration video showing how AI recommends and adjusts operating room schedules.
The “AI Patient Assistant” is a service that responds to patient inquiries around the clock using an AI voice bot. It can help improve patient convenience and the efficiency of hospitals’ consultation operations by providing guidance on which department to visit based on symptoms, taking appointment requests, and giving post-visit instructions.
At the seminar, KT Managing Director Jang Daeseong, who oversees enterprise innovation, presented the components of the healthcare standardization model and strategies for using it. KPMG partner Choi Jong-won introduced trends in South Korea’s healthcare AX market and examples of innovation at leading hospitals.
Following the event, KT plans to expand cooperation with major hospitals nationwide and support AX initiatives tailored to each hospital’s priorities, including building a foundation for healthcare data use and introducing AI agents.
“The challenges hospitals need to address and their systems environments differ, but there are common areas of work that can be improved using data and AI,” Managing Director Jang said. “We will support hospitals in selectively adopting the services they need and pursuing healthcare AX more quickly and efficiently.”
[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter