05-Jan-16 Singapore embarks on the Smart Nation initiative, big data can help beef up the response to any disease outbreak. It is critical to maintain timely data on diagnoses, and symptoms reported by patients. The biggest benefit may come in searching out the unknown unknowns. Here, big data could be coupled with “smart software”, using machine learning to help guide astute human observers. [image: Today]

05-Jan-16 Thailand has seen more than 2 mn foreign patients at 37 hospitals since 2012, compared with Singapore's 850,000. Bangkok Hospital Group, Thailand's largest private hospital operator, has a target of 50 hospitals, up from the existing 42. Bumrungrad International, is moving into Myanmar, and Samitivej Hospital Group plans to expand throughout ASEAN and into Japan and the Middle East. [image: Dr Prem Global Healthcare]

03-Jan-16 Singapore will ramp healthcare capabilities to meet the rise in demand from an ageing population. The number of people aged 65+ will more than double from 430,000 to 900,000 by 2030. Several new eldercare centres will be opened, including three in Yishun. The opening of two hospitals in 2015, with 800 beds, should ease the severe bed crunch of recent years. [image: ST File]

02-Jan-16 Malaysia is tying up with various governments to increase the number of inbound patients. Kazakhstan, Libya and Oman already have Government-to-Government agreements to send patients to Malaysia, which is also attracting Muslim patients, as an Islamic nation itself. Malaysia has also launched a proper shariah-abiding airline to pursue a large share of the Muslim market. [image: Stem Cell Therapy Malaysia]

11-Dec-15 Pantai Holdings, part of IHH, is planning to expand its operations to Malaysia's east coast states as part of its strategy to make private healthcare services available nationwide. Chairman Datuk Annuar Abdullah said the company had yet to decide whether its first hospital on the east coast will operate under the brand name of Pantai or Gleneagles. [image: The Star]