Zhang said when she used the platform to change a drug prescription for a lung cancer patient in Beijing, the patient's tumor reduced.
"The system can provide patients with standardized, precise treatment options," she added.
However, she noted that the system is not yet fully mature and is unsuitable for patients with related serious problems, such as those who have developed a resistance to certain drugs.
"I think it may be more useful in grassroots hospitals in rural areas to guide doctors in the treatment of cancer," she said.
Zhang added that the platform can also be used to provide general training for younger, less-experienced physicians.
According to Baheal Pharm, Watson for Oncology has been used in 24 hospitals in 18 cities, including Qingdao, Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, and Nanjing in Jiangsu province.
Fu Gang, Baheal Pharm's chairman, hopes the platform will be promoted in more grassroots hospitals to aid treatment.
"Although doctors at large hospitals in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai can provide quality medical care for cancer patients, many establishments in smaller cities and counties are unable to provide standardized treatments," he said.
Online diagnosis
A key task in the nation's ongoing healthcare reform is the improvement of the distribution of medical resources to establish a tiered system.
Large hospitals in cities usually have better facilities and higher-level medical talent, so they are usually crowded, which has prompted widespread dissatisfaction among patients.
Currently, hospitals and companies are developing a range of decision-making systems that use artificial intelligence to assist with diagnosis and treatment.
For example, the Second Xiangya Hospital at the Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, has joined with Danale, a technology company in Shenzhen, to develop an online service that diagnoses skin conditions.
The service uses an app that works via WeChat, whereby patients upload a photo of the affected area of skin, which is scanned and evaluated via AI. The app then combs through its data banks and provides a list of possible diagnoses.
According to the hospital, initial tests suggest that the app is capable of diagnosing lupus, a rare skin disease, with 85 percent accuracy.
"The technology will be used to assist with the diagnosis of common skin complaints, especially at grassroots clinics, and will provide guidance for patients," said Lu Qianjin, director of the hospital's dermatology department.
Moreover, in October last year, the internet company Baidu launched an online medical advisory platform to aid diagnoses at grassroots medical institutions.
When patients input a question, the platform, which stores large amounts of medical data, can provide a range of possible diagnoses.
In August, six robots were introduced in the clinical hall of the Harbin First Hospital, Heilongjiang province, to answer simple questions, such as telling patients the way to certain departments. The robots can also provide soothing music to help patients relax as they wait for consultations, the hospital said.
