AND NOW, A PATIENT-CENTRIC APPROACHTO HEALTHCARE
It’s not rare for journalists covering the health beat to get invited to the launch of the latest medical innovation in Singapore. I guess Singapore has got it all when it comes to the most advanced medical gadgets. And how we marveled at all these technological breakthroughs! But today, what we’re hearing is not so much state-of-the-art, as state-of-the-heart technology that empowers patients.
Picture, for instance, a patient equipped with his own personal health tablet, a digital blood pressure monitor, and a weighing machine that will help him monitor his pulse, blood pressure, and weight daily — all these are automatically uploaded to a central monitoring system managed by tele-nurses and doctors.
Suvendra Das, general manager for Philips’ Health Systems businesses in Singapore and the Emerging Markets, tells us more in this interview. Excerpts:
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: People go to Singapore to avail of the latest in medical technology. How much of this technology is already available in the Philippines so Filipinos don’t have to go to Singapore for our medical needs?
SUVENDRA DAS: Philips has over 450 products and services offered in over 100 countries including the Philippines. Our innovative healthcare solutions that span the continuum of care, from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment, and home care will benefit not just patients but everyone in the Philippines.
Singapore has comprehensive strategies in place to leverage digital technology to address current challenges in healthcare. These trends in digital adoption have extended across the border to the countries in our neighborhood. We are glad to see that the Philippines has also developed an eHealth Strategic Framework and Plan for the period 2014 to 2020, which aims to utilize information and communication technologies in the health sector. This will support the delivery of health services and manage health systems for greater efficiency and effectiveness, and is in line with providing universal healthcare to all Filipinos.
Do you see the day when people can have their medical needs (like some tests) served at home?
We believe digital technology enables seamless care. An example of how we bring this to life is when we partnered with NTUC Income, the largest insurance provider in Singapore in May 2016, to support the recovery and overall health improvement of policyholders who were recently hospitalized due to a heart condition. Participants of the program will be given a personal health tablet known as the Philips eCare Companion, a digital blood pressure monitor, and a weighing machine. These devices assist participants in the daily measurement of their weight, pulse and blood pressure — three vital indicators which are automatically uploaded to a central monitoring system managed by tele-nurses and doctors at Continuous Care Monitoring Room in the Philips APAC Center. Participants’ vital statistics are being monitored regularly. The tele-nurses will intervene early and proactively to provide support when signs of deterioration are detected.
Not only can we empower patients to better manage their condition at home, our innovations can also enable less invasive procedures, optimize clinical workflow, resulting in shorter waiting time and stays in hospital. Therefore, patients can receive timely diagnosis and treatment, and go home — an environment they feel most comfortable in — much earlier.
Of the countries in Asia Pacific, how does the Philippines rank in terms of medical technology offerings?
While Philippines ranks well in terms of efficiency and innovation in healthcare, there is still room for improvement to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. According to a Brink Asia study on healthcare efficiency and innovation, Philippines ranked fifth (out of 15 countries) in Asia Pacific and 28th (out of 60 countries) globally.
With accessibility and affordability still a key barrier to healthcare in the Philippines, Philips is committed to continue providing innovative solutions to address these barriers. The health technology company will continue to collaborate and co-create with private and public partners, as well as invest in research and development (R&D) in order to deliver meaningful solutions that will empower Filipinos.
Heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in the Philippines. What’s the latest in Philips’ cardiac care?
With cardiovascular disease on the rise and becoming a more chronic condition, Philips aims to support clinicians in reaching quick and confident diagnosis, providing safe and personalized treatments, and enabling faster recoveries and home care.
To name a few of our latest innovations in cardiology:
• Azurion — complete IGT system that integrates diagnosis and intervention procedures in the cat lab with unique user experience and workflow capabilities offering advanced integration, ultra-low dose X-ray, and improved workflow and patient safety.
• Lumify — a handheld, portable ultrasound device that is transforming patient care by bringing ultrasound to the point-of-care. It is extending the reach of ultrasound by creating better connections between clinicians and their patients, while continuing to deliver exceptional image quality. • Ingenuity CT with Cardiac applications — brings the benefits of high-resolution, low-dose scanning with increased integration and collaboration, patient care, and economic value in an upgradable family that’s designed to grow as you grow. • EPIQ 7C ultrasound with Heart
Model — provides a new direction for premium ultrasound, featuring an exceptional level of clinical performance to meet the challenges of today’s most demanding cardiovascular practices.
• Affiniti — ultrasound system delivers the right balance of advanced ergonomic design and precision engineering to help the HCP to work more comfortably and intuitively. With its exceptional image quality, it provides results the doctors need to provide the best possible patient care.
• Portable ECG. Android Tablet application (ECG100) provides four hours of non-stop usage with an easy-to-use, intuitive interface in a small (<300 grams), portable design. Ultra-portable and built to work with app-enabled smartphones and tablets for Android, ECG100 users can view 12-channel ECGs directly on their mobile devices. • The Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Smart toothbrush. Not many know that oral healthcare can also have an impact on heart health. Severe gum disease can lead to increased risk of stroke and heart attack. Philips recently launched a revolutionary new connected toothbrush, The Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Smart toothbrush. Connected to the Philips Sonicare app, smart sensors in the toothbrush help users improve their brushing technique and achieve better results in between visits to their dental practitioner.
• The Philips Air fryers — empower home cooks to make healthier choices. The product comes with Philips’ patented Rapid Air technology that uses hot air to cook food with little or no oil, so consumers can prepare nourishing meals at home easier.
With healthcare costs on the rise, how can Philips make technology available even to the poor?
At Philips, we are committed to developing innovative healthcare solutions that empower people and healthcare practitioners. Through collaborating and co-creating with customers and partners, we help optimize care delivery by leveraging data, helping to improve access and affordability for everyone, wherever and whenever they need it.
Globally, Philips has already rolled out a number of projects to reach and deliver healthcare to underserved communities.
1) The Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring (MOM) solution, for example, is aimed at reducing maternal mortality by enabling healthcare systems to give expectant mothers access to highquality healthcare wherever they are.
The MOM service features two mobile phone apps, as well as training and education. The first app allows midwives to collect vital measurement data such as weight, blood pressure and temperature, and sync it to the MOM web portal. The second app allows doctors to track data and review a woman’s pregnancy condition remotely. Specialists at regional primary care centers can also access the data via a MOM web portal to monitor women’s conditions and assess high-risk pregnancies via a dashboard interface.
2) Lumify, Philips’ app-based ultrasound solution, helps healthcare professionals make fast, informed decisions. The device is focused on putting high-quality solutions in the hands of more professionals to serve more patients in more locations. Lumify is further extending the reach of ultrasound by creating better connections between clinicians and their patients, while continuing to deliver exceptional image quality. How do you see home healthcare five years from now?
Healthcare systems today are faced with the unprecedented challenges of an aging population, rising rates of chronic diseases, and financial barriers to care. At the same time, we are also seeing people increasingly engaged in their healthcare management and connected care technology. In order to achieve better health outcomes for all in the future, private and public partnerships will continue to encourage better management of health and provide solutions that enable greater accessibility to care through connected devices.
We will also see a shift towards a more patient-centric approach to care. This model will enable healthcare providers to establish better partnership with practitioners, patients, and their families in order to align decisions with the patients’ wants, needs, and preferences. Through the use of technology, providers and patients are able to maximize the benefits for optimum care delivery. Technology also supports the shared decision-making process and facilitates patient feedback by looping in various stakeholders along the different stages of the care plan. Furthermore, technology also enables patients to access and control their own medical records in an easy manner.