Great Outcomes Begin with the Right Questions
In many Jewish families, when children return from school, they are not asked, “Did you do well today?” but rather, “What interesting question did you ask today?” Jewish people make up only about 0.2% of the world’s population, a proportion similar to that of Taiwan. Yet over time, they have received nearly a quarter of all Nobel Prizes. What motivates this is not diligence alone, but a habit of questioning and a willingness to ask the right, essential questions. We are living in a time of constant innovation, where technology and information are continually evolving. In such a world, it becomes increasingly important to learn how to ask the right questions, to discern what truly matters, and only then to do things well. In many contexts, we place great value on busyness and visible effort, yet give less attention to reflection and self-examination. As a result, we may invest significant time and energy, only to find that our efforts have not led us in the right direction. The story of the tortoise and the hare offers a familiar example. The tortoise does not win simply because the hare falls asleep, but because the hare, in constant motion, loses sight of the goal. In much the same way, we often find ourselves caught up in the demands of daily life, moving quickly from one task to another, yet rarely pausing to ask whether we are truly focusing on what matters most.
At the heart of Jumin Hospital’s development lies a profound question: what needs in healthcare remain unmet? Many conditions that were once considered untreatable may only require new ways of seeing things. Progress often begins with the development of new diagnostic approaches and new treatment pathways. In an era shaped by the rapid growth of AI and information, the integration of engineering and medicine opens new possibilities for human advancement, setting a direction in which future breakthroughs may emerge. Many areas in medicine still await progress, including conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. Bringing together insights across disciplines is the key to breakthroughs in modern biomedicine; it offers a meaningful path forward that calls for sustained commitment.
The choice of site and the overall planning of Jumin Hospital reflect a forward-looking approach. The decision to build a next-generation digital native hospital within the university campus was made with care. It not only facilitates collaboration with research institutions, but also allows the hospital to gain stronger understanding and support from the local community. The integration of engineering and medicine calls for the academic community to move forward together. Collaboration between academia and industry should be grounded in BioICT and interdisciplinary research, so that medical progress can be advanced substantively and the gap between research and clinical practice more effectively bridged.
Jumin Hospital’s operating model intends to differ from that of traditional hospitals. It needs to retain the flexibility of a privately run institution in order to attract outstanding talent in both medicine and research, and to support the broader vision of biomedical innovation. Moreover, long-term development requires financial stability. This calls for thoughtful management of resources and operational efficiency, so that the hospital can respond effectively to the evolving demands of interdisciplinary healthcare.
