Asia Care Group

10/12/2021

There has been no lack of breakthroughs in cancer control in recent years. Without access, however, these advances are nothing but empty hopes.

In a recent study published in The Lancet Oncology, frontline oncologists from 82 countries were asked to identify cancer medicines that they considered essential for patient care. Although the lists mostly consisted of older, inexpensive anticancer drugs, many patients in LMICs still do not have access to them due to financial barriers. The lack of accessibility compounded by escalating rates of cancer in LMICs not only places tremendous physical and emotional strain on individuals and families but also puts a heavy burden on the country's health system.

To address the accessibility issue in a low-resource setting, health systems need to place sufficient emphasis on cancer medicines. Actions such as participation in clinical trials, pooling and redistributing resources, and involving various stakeholders - from the government to industry - would also be key.

https://bit.ly/3lhDHGn

01/12/2021

All the countries in the world have agreed to focus on eliminating AIDS by 2030. According to UNAIDS, AIDS remains a pandemic that can be overcome by targeting inequalities that drive the pandemic. One of the challenges reported by many people living with HIV is their inability to access private health insurance due to strict exclusions and terms and conditions.

In APAC the domestic funding for the HIV response increased by 87% between 2010 and 2019, while international investments fell by 63%. Private health insurance may have a role to play in bridging the existing resource gap domestically in these countries (Figure 1).

Private insurance comprises a growing percentage of the total private health expenditure in Southeast Asian countries. However, the exclusions and terms and conditions around HIV often discourage people with the condition to purchase private insurance and make claim filing for those who purchased the policy before the diagnosis challenging (Figure 2).

Historically, these strict exclusions were developed by the insurers since HIV is a high-risk condition with a high cost of treatment. However, new treatment regimes, subsidised/free Antiretroviral Therapy have improved life expectancy, better managed opportunistic infections, reduced the risk of HIV and associated comorbidities, and lowered the chances of non-AIDS-related complications significantly.

Reasons why private health insurers should develop products for people living with HIV in Southeast Asia :
1) HIV is a recognised chronic condition and the perception of risk for private insurers has lowered due to advancement in treatment modalities
- 1.1. Free and/or subsidised ART by the government has made the treatment widely available and at no/ low cost
- 1.2 International organisations such as the global fund to fight AIDS and PEPFAR have also expanded the accessibility to free-of-cost ART
2) Legislation and policies around HIV management, antidiscrimination legislation in general or against people living with HIV, and national policies or legislation related to private health insurance are nudging insurers in developing countries to bring in private insurance products for people living with HIV

18/11/2021

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week starts today and continues till the 24th of November. The awareness week was established because of the inappropriate usage of antibiotics which resulted in increased drug resistance rates of pathogens to common antibiotics. There is an urgent need for better antibiotic stewardship efforts as well as new and novel treatment options. However, several challenges that face the pharmaceutical companies that produce and supply these medicines.

Antibiotic stewardship includes the measurement and improvement of how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients. This cannot be done sorely by pharmaceutical companies without the support of governments and other stakeholders, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to antibiotics is not widely available. For example, improved health literacy, comprehensive prescription regulations, and a stronger reporting system require multistakeholders’ long-term coordination.

When it comes to the R&D of new antibiotics and antifungals, return of investment is a big issue. Since new antibiotics would be the 'drugs of last resort' against dangerous bacteria, they can only be used sparingly to limit the development of antibiotic resistance - and not sold in large volumes. Moreover, compared to treatments that are more expensive such as oncology therapies, antibiotics tend to be sold at lower prices.

Therefore, instead of viewing the R&D and stewardship of antibiotics as the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies, other stakeholders need to be more engaged and provide more support, such as implementing more innovative and sustainable financial models to fuel the R&D process.

Learn more at https://accesstomedicinefoundation.org/amr-benchmark/results

The 2021 AMR Benchmark examines what 17 pharmaceutical companies are doing to help bring antimicrobial resistance under control. Here you can find the three key findings from 2021, as well in-depth analysis of the data and examples of best practice.

16/11/2021

It’s been six years since the Asia Care Group was founded in Hong Kong! In that time, we’ve been trusted to deliver over 70 healthcare consulting projects - from Northern China to Indonesia to Fiji, an island country as far into the Pacific! Our team comprises of talented and passionate individuals, driven to create better health systems for all. And our clients - all of whom took a chance on this new, unknown firm - trusted us with their biggest challenges from Day 1. We’re so grateful for all your support and look forward to what we will all achieve together in the coming years!

25/10/2021

Stress is something everyone experiences; in moderate doses, it helps us perform. Excessive amounts, however, can lead to large amounts of physical and emotional distress resulting in fatigue, exhaustion, excess anxiety, ill health, and psychological distress with reduced productivity. Thankfully, mental health awareness is at an all-time high, and institutions across the globe aim to reduce the stigma associated with it particularly given the effects of the pandemic on our mental wellbeing. Here are some of Asia Care Group’s recommendations to improve mental health outcomes across health systems:

Providers – Invest in staff training to help ensure that the clinical workforce is well-equipped to detect, diagnose, and manage stress-related illnesses. Actively review treatment protocols and clinical pathways to ensure that patients with stress-related symptoms get referred to a psychiatrist or therapist for proper evaluation and management.

Government – Commit to marketing campaigns aimed at improving mental health outcomes, improving mental health training of government physicians, encouraging the training of psychiatrists, and increasing the resource allocation to mental health services.

Employers – Work with the healthcare community to run educational campaigns aimed at helping employees better understand how stress can manifest. Improve the understanding of what goes into a comprehensive wellbeing program and evaluate the business case to ensure so.

Payors – Enhance cover for stress-related illnesses, including common mental health disorders. This will not only help improve clinical outcomes but also manage costs in the long run. Working with insured corporate clients to design and deliver educational/wellness campaigns centred on the impact of stress and exploring ways to reward this through premium pricing.

12/10/2021

Across APAC, the adoption of digital solutions varies. Insurers test innovations across the entire spectrum, from data analytics and customer engagement to digital partnerships and the health and wellness ecosystem.

We examined thirty-three digitally savvy insurers and insur-techs in the APAC region to study commonly seen digital trends. Most insurers in the region focus either on data analytics to improve their operations, including sales, distribution, and claims management, or digital user journeys, mainly targeting claim filing apps or telehealth services. The digital collaborations in the region are hence limited to relevant data analytics or telehealth services. On the other hand, in the western markets, digital partnerships mainly aim at creating a health and wellness ecosystem for the policyholders.

Though there is a rapid uptake of technology in APAC, we still see a gap in the type of technologies adopted to develop customer-centric products and a lack of partnership appetite across various stakeholders to create a sustainable health and wellness ecosystem.

04/10/2021

The Insurance Authority of Hong Kong recently published findings on the mortality protection gap in Hong Kong that is estimated to be HK$6.9 trillion, translating into HK$1.9 million or 5.7 times the weighted average annual income for each working adult. On the other hand, the premiums for life insurance in-force policies reached HK$511 billion (around US$66 billion) in 2019, translating to one of the highest life insurance premiums per capita in the world. At HK$63,991 per capita, it is four times higher than the US and much higher than other mature markets in Asia like Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan. Even with such high premiums and life insurance pe*******on rates, why do we see a high mortality protection gap?

Hong Kong’s life insurance market has seen growth and enjoys a top position globally in density and pe*******on. With increasing life span and medical expenses, people prefer annuities and health insurance products. However, while longer life span and morbidity risks are more discussed, people lack education and awareness of how insurance products can help them manage mortality risks. People in Hong Kong prefer buying 'whole' life insurance products that focus on savings rather than protection. The 'term' life insurance market in Hong Kong is still relatively small. The savings culture in Asia makes the local insurance market move towards savings or investments insurance elements, but this, in turn, reduces the ability of the life insurance policy to hedge for the mortality risks. From a coverage perspective, there is a difference between term life insurance and whole life insurance, with the latter focusing more on wealth accumulation and other more conservative products that offer only limited death coverage.

We at ACG feel that insurers can play a vital role in bridging the mortality protection gap by thoroughly assessing consumer perception and behaviour and taking appropriate steps to mend the gap.

https://www.ia.org.hk/en/infocenter/press_releases/20210825.html

28/09/2021

Despite the accelerated health digitalisation across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the general lack of data interoperability remains a challenge that impedes the progress in the APAC region. The ability to share health data within and among organisations in a timely and secure manner not only drives care coordination and improves patient outcome, it also allows organisations to make the data-driven and evidence-based decisions to improve operational efficiency.

To maximize the value of the vast amount of health data available, we would advise provider and payor organisations, governments and vendors to collaboratively develop standardised data formats that are applicable to the health system. Additional financial and technical support should also be made available to facilitate the adoption of cost-effective and secure health information systems and technologies, as well as the digitisation or update of existing health data.

23/09/2021

Health care system, globally, is characterized by high and rising healthcare costs as well as gaps in quality, safety, equity, and access. Policy makers, private payers and systems leaders are seeking ways to reduce waste, increase the efficiency of healthcare delivery, and allocate resources in order to improve value in health care. Consumers also seek guidance about how to maximize the value of their own health care dollar, particularly since some payer innovations have increased consumers’ financial exposure.

The goal, however, is to move beyond measurement to improvement – how do we reduce unnecessary cost and waste while at the same time maintaining or improving quality? We at ACG feel proper identification & prioritization of system gaps is essential to plan out any strategic roadmap to ensure that the system caters to the population’s need in the long run.

21/09/2021

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Have you had mooncakes yet?

17/09/2021

Today is World Patient Safety Day! Healthcare systems around the globe have been changing dramatically, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The digitalisation of healthcare, such as electronic medical record system reform and the advent of telehealth, has been on the rise. However, without appropriate data safety guidelines, patient safety and care delivery will be seriously jeopardized. Hence, cybersecurity in health has become an urgent patient safety concern. Efforts to develop frontline interventions on cybersecurity that can be easily implemented and sustained are essential to ensure patient safety is the top priority in a digitally reliant health system.

The Ministry of Health of Singapore has recently issued the new Healthcare Cybersecurity Essentials guidelines. The guideline is to remind all licensed healthcare providers to ensure disciplined maintenance of their IT assets, systems, and patient data. To ensure security and integrity, institutions need to set up and constantly review security safeguards, enforce new measures and adopt best practices. It is also essential that different players in the health sector are aware of the relevance and importance of cybersecurity and its role to strengthen patient safety.

17/09/2021

LinkDoc Technology backed by Alibaba Health is a Chinese medical data group leading the way in healthcare technology service offerings in China. The company has three service lines with the first being LinkCare that is focused on supplying digital healthcare through a patient-centered digital care platform. The service line includes an internet hospital, a patient service care centre and an AI backed diagnosis and treatment recommendations portal. LinkData, their second service line offers data extraction, structuring and quality control via a medical data governance and AI decision making platform which helps monitors disease progress and makes treatment decisions based on a number of medical inputs. Finally, they have LinkSolutions which is a business solution targeted at the life science sector that aims at improving clinical research and commercialisation stages of global life science companies by offering data insights, real world data research support and clinical trial participant recruitment.

LinkDoc was set to IPO on the heavily tech focused NASDAQ exchange initially looking at raising funds in the hundreds of millions of dollars. However, after recent developments in the Chinese cybersecurity space, the company has become the first Chinese company to self-regulate and pull out of an IPO of its own volition. This follows regulators investigations into the colossal ride hailing company Didi which was pulled off of Chinese app stores just two days after its New York debut.

With medical data already being a highly sensitive issue globally and mainland governmental attitudes to data leaving the country being highly precautionary, we expect to see many US IPOs by mainland Chinese companies fall for the short to medium term in the healthcare space which will hinder the development of many mainland healthcare companies whose business concerns the collection of Chinese citizens data in any shape or form.