Brazil's Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, announced on September 4th at the University of São Paulo (USP) Medical School that Brazil will be constructing the country's first smart public hospital - the Brazil Institute of Intelligent Medical Technology (ITMI-Brasil) in São Paulo.

According to the Brazilian website "G1," Padilha introduced that this new hospital will have 800 beds for treating critical and severe cases in adults and children, covering fields like neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, and more. The hospital is set to open by the end of 2027, covering an area of 150,000 square meters, and will be built within the complex of the University of São Paulo Medical School Clinical Hospital (HCFMUSP).

During the meeting that day, Padilha stated, "This project aims to strengthen Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS) and improve people's lives. This smart hospital will integrate various medical service networks from primary care to emergency treatment, providing faster, more efficient, and more humane care. It represents the technologization of the unified health system, serving doctors and patients and covering all aspects from talent development to clinical practice."

The Health Ministry mentioned that the Institute of Intelligent Medical Technology will combine cutting-edge technology with free public medical services, utilizing artificial intelligence, 5G-connected ambulances, and telemedicine technologies to reduce the average treatment time for critical cases from the current 17 hours to just 2 hours.

This project is being jointly promoted by the Brazilian Health Ministry, the University of São Paulo, and the São Paulo State Government, with plans to apply for a $320 million investment from the New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS countries. Padilha emphasized that the construction of the hospital relies on support from international institutions, including the NDB, research institutions, and other partners. He stated, "Brazil is solidly integrating into the global restructuring of the healthcare system, with information technology, artificial intelligence, and innovative practices reshaping the way medical services are provided to patients."

This initiative is a significant step by the federal government in improving public healthcare, aiming to reduce wait times for specialized care, enhance the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment for major diseases like stroke, trauma, heart attacks, and shock, and focus on intelligent bed management, reducing hospital stays, and ensuring care safety.

In addition to healthcare services, the new hospital will also serve as a platform for research and talent development, encompassing areas such as digital health, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, clinical engineering, and network security.

On the same day, the Health Ministry also announced plans to establish a nationwide intelligent intensive care unit system in the capital Brasília and nine other capital cities including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Recife, which will gradually expand to other cities. These ICU wards in these cities will be interconnected in real-time with the University of São Paulo Clinical Hospital to receive professional support. Bed monitoring in these units will be operated in real-time using artificial intelligence to assist with bed allocation and clinical decisions.