Commentary

Moving telehealth from a temporary fix to a pillar of modern healthcare

Over the past few years, teleconsultations have played a growing role in the delivery of healthcare and support services across ASEAN.

Commentary

Moving telehealth from a temporary fix to a pillar of modern healthcare

Over the past few years, teleconsultations have played a growing role in the delivery of healthcare and support services across ASEAN.

Commentary

A Security Prescription for Healthcare IT in 2022

Just two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry across the Asia Pacific region has made leaps and bounds in terms of digital transformation while simultaneously battling with waves of COVID-19 infections, mass testing, and vaccinating the public.

Commentary

Relieve Pressure on Exhausted Healthcare Workers with Intelligent Automation

Many hospitals are still facing equipment and bed shortages, but staffing shortages are another serious concern.

Commentary

Why Healthcare Security Is Critical

Throughout the pandemic, a wave of ransomware attacks disrupted operations in healthcare organisations around the world.

Commentary

The contract doctor conundrum: is there a long-term solution?

In 2016, the Malaysian government introduced a contract scheme of employment in its effort to rationalise the employment of doctors within the public sector. This scheme basically ensured 2 years of housemanship, followed by 3 years as a medical officer before a decision was made regarding permanent employment.

Commentary

Can intelligent automation reduce errors in the healthcare sector?

By automating processes and streamlining clinical pathways, intelligent automation can empower the healthcare industry to provide better patient care.

Commentary

Nextgen PPPs for Connected Healthcare in the Asia-Pacific

The adoption of “value” schemes to increase access to medical technologies.

Commentary

COVID-19 is spurring a digital health revolution - can private hospitals keep up?

The COVID-19 pandemic is testing hospitals and healthcare systems across the globe like never before. Public hospitals’ emergency and intensive care units have swollen to capacity whilst the resources for elective and outpatient care are redirected to aid urgent functions.

Commentary

Better healthcare decisions depend on better data collection

The huge advances seen in healthcare over the past 50 years are among the greatest achievements of modern science. As a result we are living longer than ever.

Commentary

Preventing Surgical Site Infections: Does a one-size-fit-all model work?

As the second-most commonly reported Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI), surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant cause of negative outcomes, with the incidence in low- and middle-income countries reported at more than 10%.

Commentary

Restoring care in Singapore's healthcare – with AI

Just last week, researchers in Singapore achieved a milestone in healthcare: they created the world’s largest genetic databank of Asian populations. Thanks to sequencing data of around 5,000 Singaporeans, scientists and doctors will now be able to better diagnose rare diseases and find the causes of chronic ailments.

Commentary

The chatbot will see you now – virtual HCP engagement in the Asia Pacific

There is little doubt that the Asia Pacific region represents a key growth ambition for the majority of Life Sciences companies. Statistics around unmet healthcare needs are well-known and, as the saying “necessity is the mother of innovation” goes to show, the Asia Pacific has an opportunity to leapfrog the West when it comes to novel therapies and approaches to market access. But at the same time, cost control and compliance remain sizeable challenges.

Commentary

Cell therapy in the Asia Pacific — solution to the cancer challenge?

Over the next decade, an estimated $2t investment into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) schemes is expected to land in Asia. The developing markets in the region have traditionally under-funded healthcare at a rate of about 5% of GDP (compared to the average of 12% in OECD countries like Australia and Japan). Whilst some emerging markets in Asia continue to grapple with lingering infection control, all are shifting focus to the more advanced lifestyle diseases.

Commentary

Talent War vs Talent Sharing: The Future of Life Sciences Teams in the Asia Pacific

Many speak of the “war” for talent arising across the globe, including in the Asia Pacific and as it pertains to the Life Sciences industry. Whilst indeed there is a level of scarcity in certain roles and regions (though arguably public healthcare provision is much more in need than the private sector), the battle-like mentality does not take full advantage of the broader industry shift toward collaborations and alliances. According to KPMG 2018 Global CEO Survey, 61% of Life Sciences CEOs intend to work in consortia models going forward (compared to a 49% cross-industry average).

Commentary

Singapore Budget 2019 – Making healthcare more affordable and accessible

Singapore remains a leader in making healthcare more accessible for its growing pioneer generation. The focus now is likely to shift towards taking the digital route to making healthcare more affordable and accessible.

Commentary

Protected data sharing and Life Sciences in the Asia Pacific: From treatment to prevention

In the last decade, “big data” and “data & analytics” dominated the life sciences sector, and with increasing digitisation and liberation of data, the sharing of medical information will take center stage going forward. But it comes with great responsibility, particularly from a security and privacy perspective because health data is highly valued, especialty by hackers.

Commentary

Consumerisation of genetic testing: Perspectives from Asia

Rapid technological advancement in recent years has placed affordable genetic testing in the hands of consumers and the global direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) market is forecast to be worth over US$1bn by 2020.

Commentary