Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/07
By: Hsu Chi-wei and Elizabeth Hsu

Photo courtesy of National Yang-Ming University

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Because of concern over patients taking the wrong medications due to similarities in the appearance of some of them, National Yang-Ming University associate professor in family medicine Chen Yu-chun (陳育群) has developed a smartphone app to help users identify drugs and medications.

The app, named AIGIA Pharmacist, can identify 400 commonly used drugs and medications in Taiwan with the assistance of a drug- photographing device called MedBox, Chen said at a press conference in Taipei Tuesday.

Around 18,000 drugs and medications are currently covered by the country’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system, Chen said, many of which are in the form of pills that are of similar appearance and size, which can mislead patients into taking the wrong medications.

During home visits, Chen, who is also a physician at the Department of Family Medicine of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, recalled that he once found an elderly bed-ridden patient who often suffered from stomach gas, despite having been given medication for his ailment.    [FULL  STORY]