22-Dec-16 The next step for Singapore is to increase coverage of digital healthcare by making it more accessible and available to a wider pool of citizens: 1. Singapore turns to smart healthcare to tackle its aging population issue; 2. Doctors get support from automation; 3. The app economy comes to healthcare; 4. Singaporeans want easier and better access to healthcare. [image: Singapore Business Review]

06-Dec-16 With promotion and publicity focused on China, Thailand has strong potential to lure very-rich Chinese. Singapore has the edge over Thailand by way of its Mandarin-speaking skills. Some 483,000 people travelled from China for medical tourism in 2015. They spent USD6.3 bn on treatment and USD3.4 bn on travel and accommodation, making outbound Chinese medical tourism a USD9.7 bn business. [image: Bangkok Post]

11-Dec-16 As more patients in Malaysia opt for public hospitals, patient volume in private hospitals has dropped 20-30%. With medical inflation expected to be 15% in 2017, private hospitals must find ways of coping with falling revenue. Charges will go up when private hospitals can no longer contain their costs within reasonable limits. [image: The Star]

08-Dec-16 As competition heats up in Singapore between private and public healthcare providers, many are looking at regional expansion for growth opportunities. Across the hospital players in the region, consensus is looking towards emerging markets like Cambodia and Vietnam for expansion. [image: Company, OIR]

08-Dec-16 The Penang Islamic Foundation is building the Penang Islamic Hospital costing MYR280 mn (USD63 mn) in Bayan Baru, Malaysia. The 14-storey, 200-bed hospital will have specialists in pediatrics, gynecology, surgery and cardiology. It is set to be the first syariah-compliant hospital in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, and is expected to begin operations in early 2020. [image: Bernama]