DeepSeek Deployed in 90 Chinese Tertiary Hospitals: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Clinical Practice

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical practice has reached a new milestone in China, with the deployment of DeepSeek across nearly 90 tertiary hospitals. This large-scale adoption represents a significant shift in how AI is utilized beyond diagnostic assistance, extending into hospital administration, research facilitation, and patient management. Notably, DeepSeek's AI-powered systems have demonstrated transformative effects, such as a 40-fold increase in efficiency for patient follow-ups. Our comment explores the implications of DeepSeek's expansion within China's healthcare landscape, situating it within broader national policies promoting AI-driven hospital digitalization. We discuss how hospitals are leveraging DeepSeek, Notably, DeepSeek's role in imaging analysis, clinical decision support, and administrative automation. We also address the ongoing challenges of AI integration. As China accelerates its transition toward "smart hospitals," the widespread adoption of AI like DeepSeek offers a compelling case study on the future of digital health in large-scale healthcare systems.