On the morning of July 17, 2025, the Institute for Global Health and Development at Peking University (PKU GHD) hosted the 6th session of the “PKU Global Health Leadership Dialogue” at Peking University Science Park. Professor Janelle Yorke, Chair Professor and Head of School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, led a delegation to visit PKU GHD for academic exchange. Professor Yorke delivered a keynote speech titled “Applications and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Long-Term Care” and was subsequently appointed as Adjunct Distinguished Professor of Nursing at PKU GHD. The event brought together experts, scholars, faculty, and students from Peking University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and several other universities, hospitals, and research institutions.

The event was chaired by Professor Huang Cheng, Assistant Dean and Professor at GHD. Professor Gordon G. Liu, Dean of the PKU GHD delivered the welcome address.  Professor Liu noted that, in the context of an aging global population and the rise of artificial intelligence, the transformation and upgrading of long-term care has become a vital force in serving modern society. Professor Janelle Yorke’s lecture on the integration of artificial intelligence and long-term care was both timely and of profound academic and policy significance.

Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer, Distinguished Research Professor of Global Health at PKU GHD, introduced Professor Yorke’s career, highlighting her pioneering work in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and her recent efforts in applying artificial intelligence and digital tools to enhance patient-centered care.

In her keynote speech, Professor Yorke shared global insights on long-term care, noting that one-third of adults worldwide live with chronic diseases while care providers manage 80% of related tasks amid a severe workforce shortage. She highlighted how AI and digital technologies, including electronic PROMs (ePROMs), can improve data management, symptom monitoring, and clinical decision-making. Case studies demonstrated applications in managing breathlessness, anxiety/depression, diet, and swallowing difficulties, as well as predicting treatment discontinuation risks.

The discussion session brought together experts from PKU, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Peking Union Medical College, and the PLA General Hospital to explore chronic disease management, workforce challenges, AI applications, and the integration of ePROMs data.

Professor Liu Tingfang, Senior Research Fellow at PKU GHD, expressed gratitude to Professor Yorke and her team and emphasized the commitment of both sides to deepen collaboration across education, research, and clinical practice, aiming to advance care services and enhance global health outcomes.