Fujitsu Spain and Fsas Technologies, both Fujitsu Group companies, are working alongside DigitalES and collaborating with organisations such as Galicia’s 061 emergency service, technology centre Eurecat, Qilimanjaro and CESGA to explore how quantum technologies can help improve the efficiency, responsiveness and sustainability of healthcare services.
The Quantum4Health project, funded by Red.es, is making progress in the development of new quantum computing applications and quantum-inspired technologies aimed at addressing some of the main challenges facing the healthcare sector.
The initiative is being developed by Fujitsu Spain and Fsas Technologies, both Fujitsu Group companies, with the participation of leading organisations from the healthcare, technology and scientific fields. These include Red.es, which is driving the initiative; DigitalES, as the lead organisation; technology centre Eurecat; the Galician Supercomputing Centre (CESGA); and Qilimanjaro, organisations with recognised expertise in advanced computing and quantum technologies; as well as the Fundación Pública Urxencias Sanitarias de Galicia - 061 as the end user.
Quantum4Health is based on a clear premise: bringing quantum innovation closer to specific needs within the healthcare system. To this end, the project is analysing its application in areas such as emergency service planning, the identification of genetic mutations, diagnostic imaging, and the distribution of medicines and samples in rural areas.
Work carried out to date has enabled progress in defining use cases, developing the first models and prototypes, and evaluating different technological approaches to real-world challenges in the sector.
Improving planning and responsiveness
One of the workstreams focuses on applying advanced optimisation techniques to the management of emergency services.
In collaboration with Galicia’s 061 emergency service, the project is focusing particularly on optimising the scheduling of staff responsible for handling emergency calls. The aim is to enable more efficient shift allocation by matching available resources to forecast demand and service coverage requirements, helping to reduce waiting lists and balance workloads.
Quantum4Health is also studying models to optimise the positioning of emergency resources, such as ambulances and helicopters, with the aim of improving geographical coverage and helping to reduce response times.
Another area of research explores the use of drones to deliver medicines and collect medical samples, particularly in rural or sparsely populated areas. Optimising routes, schedules and resources is intended to improve logistical efficiency and facilitate access to certain healthcare services.
New tools for genomics and diagnosis
In the clinical field, Quantum4Health is investigating the use of Quantum Machine Learning to identify genetic variants.
This process, known as variant calling, makes it possible to detect differences and mutations in DNA and is a key stage in genomic analysis. The project is examining how quantum and hybrid models could complement current artificial intelligence techniques in the future and open up new possibilities for analysing complex genetic information.
The initiative is also exploring the application of these technologies to medical image analysis and tumour identification. The aim is to investigate new diagnostic support tools capable of analysing complex patterns and complementing existing artificial intelligence models.
In addition, the project is working with tensor network techniques to reduce the size and memory requirements of certain artificial intelligence models used in healthcare. This workstream could facilitate the development of more efficient solutions and support their future deployment closer to where the data is generated.
Near-term applications and research for the future
Quantum4Health combines two technological horizons.
On the one hand, it uses quantum-inspired technologies such as Fujitsu’s Digital Annealer, which can already address complex optimisation problems and accelerate the development of solutions applicable to real-world use cases.
On the other hand, the project develops and evaluates quantum computing algorithms using emulators and real quantum processors. The aim is to investigate their medium-term potential, analyse the technology’s current limitations, and prepare solutions that can evolve as quantum hardware capabilities increase.
This approach makes it possible to address specific healthcare needs today while simultaneously building knowledge about applications that could benefit from future generations of quantum computers.
Collaboration between technology companies, research centres, supercomputing infrastructures and organisations linked to healthcare services makes it possible to focus developments on real operational needs and assess their applicability from the earliest stages.
“Quantum4Health enables us to work side by side with the healthcare and emergency services sector to identify where quantum technologies can have a real impact. Starting with the specific day-to-day challenges faced by healthcare services, rather than with the technology itself, is what ensures that developments are useful and can be assessed from the earliest stages,” says Adrián Picazo, Public Sector Account Manager at Fujitsu Spain.
Alejandro Borrallo, Quantum Computing Manager at Fsas Technologies, adds: “The project combines two horizons: quantum-inspired technologies such as Digital Annealer, which can already tackle complex optimisation problems today, and quantum algorithms that we evaluate using emulators and real processors to understand their medium-term potential. This dual approach allows us to deliver value now while also preparing organisations for what will come as quantum hardware matures.”
Through Quantum4Health, Fujitsu Spain and Fsas Technologies, both Fujitsu Group companies, reinforce their commitment to applying advanced technologies to challenges with significant social impact and to developing solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of healthcare services.
About Quantum4Health
Quantum4Health is a project funded by Red.es whose objective is to research and demonstrate the potential of quantum and quantum-inspired technologies in the healthcare and emergency services sector.
Its workstreams include the application of quantum machine learning to genomics and diagnostic imaging, optimisation of emergency service planning, healthcare logistics using drones, and the development of more efficient artificial intelligence models.