A U G U S T 2 0 18
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TOP 10
UCSF CHAMPIONING
US companies in the medical supply chain
SUPPLY CHAIN PRACTICES
HOME SWEET GENOME
A NEW GENOME PLATFORM IS BECOMING A REALITY
“VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE IS BECOMING A REALITY” INTERVIEW WITH DR. SNEH KHEMK A, PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL HE ALTH SOLUTIONS AT AETNA INTERNATIONAL
“With its variety of reliable wearables and interfaces, Garmin is an ideal partner for us.” Gabi Zodik
CTO of IBM Watson IoT IBM Haifa Research Lab
DRIVING INNOVATION FOR DIGITAL HEALTH We provide partners with world class devices and offer access to Garmin User data through our Health API and SDKs.
garmin.com/health
b2b-health@garmin.com
FOREWORD
elcome to the latest edition of Healthcare Global. For our leadership feature this month, Dr Sneh Khemka, President – International Population Health Solutions at Aetna, discusses how the company is harnessing digital advances to deliver virtual healthcare services, fully investing in developing of products which will ensure its clients are better supported with their healthcare needs. Recent research and development into genomics has created significant interest within the business world. Shivom CEO and co-founder Dr. Axel Schumacher reveals his plan to create a first of a kind unique global genome platform, and his bid to make mass genomic data analysis a reality. This month’s issue also looks at the top 10 US companies in the medical supply chain, as ranked by Gartner, as well as some key healthcare events and conferences for this calendar year We hope you enjoy this month’s magazine, and as always welcome your feedback on Twitter. @Business_Chief
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03
F E AT U R E S
08 UCSF Medical Center
34 20 “ Virtual healthcare is becoming a reality”
The Medical City
56 Top 10
US companies in the medical supply chain
68 Emitac Healthcare Solutions
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Championing leading supply chain practices at UCSF Health With robotics, automation, new processes and more, UCSF Health is setting new standards for healthcare with its innovative supply chain WRITTEN BY
LAURA MULLAN
PRODUCED BY
DENITR A PRICE
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
U C S F H E A LT H
U
CSF Health is at the forefront
repetitive tasks – that’s when
of healthcare innovation but,
he realized how transformative
behind the scenes, the group’s Medical Center supply chain team are keep-
“I found myself doing the
ing the cogs turning so it can focus on
same set of rote and rudimen-
delivering the state-of-the-art care it
tary tasks every day,” he notes.
is known for.
“I began to realize that with the
UCSF Medical Center was recently
10
technology could be.
help of our Materials Manage-
named among the nation’s premier
ment Information Systems
medical institutions for the 17th
Team (MMIS Team) we could au-
consecutive year, standing as the fifth
tomate a lot of the procurement
best hospital in the country and the
activity I was encountering.”
top-ranked hospital in California, ac-
Automation has become
cording to U.S. News & World Report’s
a prevalent trend in the supply
2017-2018 Best Hospitals survey.
chain field and it hasn’t gone
In the back-end, its supply chain
amiss at UCSF Health. In 2009,
team is responsible for a comprehen-
Limbert and his team partnered
sive set of services that continually
with Global Healthcare Ex-
strengthen the scope of its patient care.
change (GHX) to develop tools
The organisation provides access to a
that allowed his team to on-
broad range of medical-surgical prod-
board vendors who would then
ucts, and consistently seeks to reduce
receive their purchase orders
supply chain waste and expenses but,
(POs) in a highly-automated and
above all else, it is committed to deliv-
accurate fashion.
ering quality customer service, which enables premium care.
“A requester at the hospital could scan an order or put
When he began as a buyer in pro-
through a request and that would
curement almost 16 years ago, Jake
queue up a requisition that would
Limbert, now Director of Supply Chain
be turned into a purchase order
Operations, did many menial and
automatically without any buyer
AUGUST 2018
USA
11
FACT
There are 600,000 pieces of product onsite at all times
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
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USA
“ If we can empower our clinicians to provide better care then we can also grow with them in a way that’s meaningful” — Jake Limbert , Director of Supply Chain Operations
Since then, Limbert and his team have continued on an upward trajectory thanks to new and improved technological innovations. In 2015, the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay opened, aiming to set new standards for healthcare in the 21st century. The 289-bed complex features three separate hospitals, specialized in serving children, women and cancer patients.
intervention,” explains Limbert. “We call it ‘
With such a mammoth operation,
no touch POs.’
Limbert and his team wanted to
“We were able to do that on a fairly large
focus on automation and stream-
scale. We have about 600 POs that go out
lining operations where possible.
every day and so we were really able to take
With the latest wave of in-
our PO activity and just turn it into an auto-
novation, it seems robotics
mated process. At that point, we could also
are redrawing the healthcare
hard code shipping and logistical standards
landscape. Keen to tap into this
with all of our vendors so they knew that
emerging trend, UCSF Health
UCSF had an exact and predictable time-
teamed up with Aethon to use its
frame to deal with.”
autonomous mobile TUG robots.
Building on this partnership, GHX then
These new-generation robots
built Registration Center, otherwise known
allow UCSF Health to distribute
as ‘RegCenter’ which allowed UCSF Health
items easily and reallocate their
to onboard its own vendors. As a result of
workforce so team members
its efforts, UCSF was later recognized by
can focus on value-adding tasks
GHX in 2011 with their first every Industry
rather than repetitive jobs.
Impact Award.
“This was revelatory as it alw w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
13
U C S F H E A LT H
lowed us to reallocate our full-time equivalent (FTE) resources,” said Limbert. “We also utilize the TUGS for our soiled linen pickup which helped us reduce employee injuries because, given census and patient volumes, these linen carts are becoming increasingly unwieldy. Thanks to robotics we’ve been able to keep our employees in an area where they’re most effective and appreciated. They’re able to further support clinicians.” Like many in the supply chain discipline, UCSF Health has worked to streamline and standardize its processes, so that the medical professionals can focus on what matters 14
— patient care. Every patient’s healthcare needs are unique and highly personalized. Therefore, Limbert and his team worked closely with clinicians to establish their needs and maintain the unparalleled, innovative care UCSF is known for. In doing so, the group has worked to strike a balance between streamlined, cost-effective supply chain processes whilst meeting the individualistic needs of the clinicians UCSF Our Stories: Rite of Passage -- A Hospital Prom for
and patients alike. “If they’re able to interact with clinicians in a meaningful way then that allows us to again, gain
AUGUST 2018
USA
FACT
The UCSF Medical Center is the fifth best hospital in the county and the top-ranked hospital in California
their trust,” explains Limbert. “We just
resources for the customers, not just
don’t want people stocking shelves,
inventory technicians.
we want people to engage the clinician
“The real product for us is patient
and figure out their needs so we can
care. Every patient has a different
make sure they are enabled to deliver
set of needs and a clinical path unique
the highest quality of care.”
to them.
“There’s a certain level of expecta-
“We are able to engage the end user,
tion that our clinicians demand and
the clinician, and say, ‘These are our
I think we are able to provide that
schematics and this is our framework.
by empowering our employees to
Does this synch with your needs?’
resource and make decisions on their
Almost like a switchboard, we plug and
own. We call them our ‘supply chain
slot them into our order of business.
ambassadors.’ We want them to be
“Alternatively, they might say, ‘Well w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
15
U C S F H E A LT H
that’s not really going to work because our cases start at 7:00 a.m. so we need product replenished by 5:00am,’ for example. In that case, we are able to scale it and tweak it for them. “That is a challenge, however, it’s also something that we relish. Every patient is unique and they are our number one priority. I think we have to be mindful of where we can standardize and where we can’t.” The opening of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay was not only a key milestone in the institutions’ history, but it also gave Limbert and his team a fresh
16
slate to drive efficiencies and cost savings. In doing so, the team had two focuses: the first
“Every patient is unique and they are our number one priority” — Jake Limbert , Director of Supply Chain Operations
was the customer and the second was generating operational data. “First, we determined, having learned from previous successes and failures, what the customer expected from us and what they needed in order to deliver the quality care that our patients deserve,” explains Limbert. “We were able to listen and figure out what worked and didn’t in the previous care area and then adapt and create new workflows, meaningful periodic automatic replenishment (PAR) levels and service level agreements (SLAs). “Secondly, we built a very robust and intricate set of data,” he continues. “In order to
AUGUST 2018
USA
achieve the previously established au-
the biggest challenge is sustaining
tomation, we had to engage MMIS and
this growth.
our vendors to ensure the efficiencies would be mirrored in another facility. “We devised new shipping locations
“It’s a good problem to have in that the healthcare environment in the Bay Area is very competitive but if we can
and schedules aligned with our new
empower our clinicians to provide
docks for optimal transport up to the
better care then we can also grow
unit. For example, right now a techni-
with them in a way that’s meaningful,”
cian will transmit an order and in less
notes Limbert.
than 12 minutes the vendor will have
“Allowing our ambassadors and
it. They can pick it and then it will show
staff to feel ownership over the care
up the next day at that room in fewer
that we’re providing is vital. If you
than 24 hours.”
can illuminate their piece within this
With 78mn products delivered annu-
dynamic jigsaw, it helps them feel
ally at UCSF, its supply chain opera-
more engaged and proud to provide
tion is mammoth in scale. Now, as the
a crucial piece in the patient care
organization expands, Limbert says
continuum.” w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
17
LEADERSHIP
20
AUGUST 2018
“ Virtual healthcare is becoming a reality” WRITTEN BY
DAN BRIGHTMORE
We spoke with Dr Sneh Khemka, President – International Population Health Solutions, and learned how medical insurer Aetna International is harnessing digital advances to deliver virtual healthcare services on a global scale
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
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LEADERSHIP
A
etna began as a fire insurance company first launched 160
years ago with its moniker inspired by Mount Etna. Aetna International has operated in its current guise for 50 years, providing international health insurance policies to people living outside their own country, when either travelling extensively or remaining abroad for work. It might not be a growing market (many other companies also provide this service), but the way Aetna differentiates itself is by 22
investing in the development of products and services encompassing the rest of the world of healthcare in a bid to make the individuals it insures better supported with their healthcare needs. “We’re not just about being able to pay your healthcare bills, but also helping people deal with the issues they may face which affect their health or when they are suddenly unwell and need a healthcare intervention,” confirms Aetna’s President - International Population Health Solutions Dr Sneh Khemka. “Across the board we’re seeing 12-20% savings on the costs of health insurance to our customers because of the programmes we offer for disease management. As part of our conAUGUST 2018
“ Virtual healthcare is becoming a reality as we employ groups of doctors who are available across the world 24/7 for video consultations.You can have a full GP consultation with a diagnosis,treatment plan and prescription” — Dr Sneh Khemka President International Population Health Solutions, Aetna International w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
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LEADERSHIP
24
AUGUST 2018
things we’re working on in the US are very exciting… we actually incentivise people to stay healthy. We’ve got a deep affiliation with Apple. With our Apple Watch programme, we offer a company’s employees a free Apple Watch as long as two things happen: they exercise and we receive anonymised data so we can understand what’s going on with people’s healthy behaviours. If the employees exercise and the watch tracks this, they pay nothing, but if they don’t exercise, money is deducted from their tract with a company, we will help
paycheck until they’ve paid for the
them manage their employee’s health-
watch.”
care needs, whether that’s diabetes,
Dr Khemka believes countries with a
hypertension… They are linked in to
primary care infrastructure – where
our nurse-lead programmes where we
the GP can be your friend, confidant,
have experts on the end of a phone
the first person you turn to when you
who can carry out intensive coaching
have a health issue or for prescrip-
to help manage conditions, allowing
tions, vaccinations, and
employees to remain healthier, be at
immunisations – are in a privileged
work more often and stay productive.”
position to help people from going in
Dr Khemka notes the growing trend of
to hospital unnecessarily where they
employers getting involved in keeping
can get lost in the maze of healthcare.
people healthy at work with on-site
“Our strategy aims to re-establish pri-
clinics, driving awareness and moni-
mary care for people around the world
toring people’s activity. “We also focus
who don’t have access to it,” he
on wellness and helping people
pledges. “We do that in two ways: with
change their behaviours. Some of the
physical clinics (like our new facility in w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
25
LEADERSHIP
“ From smart Babylon Health, with vHealth (virtual health homecare and for primary care). Virtual healthcare is surgical robotics becoming a reality as we employ groups of to wearables doctors who are available across the world 24/7 for video consultations. You can have a (Fitbit etc) and full GP consultation with a diagnosis, treatthe new FDA ment plan and prescription. We provide that service for free for our insured customers, approved smart stopping them from making unnecessary pill (Abilify hospital visits and incurring claims when they don’t need to.” MyCite) Aetna International is also helping governalongside telements to improve the health of their populations with its processes and pracmonitoring to tices. A three-year contract with the Qatari improve chronic government set up what would essentially become their NHS. “We ran many prodisease care grammes so they could understand their management – data and network their hospitals,” explains Dr Khemka. “Allied to this we ran three large the health programmes for cardiovascular disease, sector is diabetes and pregnancy. We saw big changes with 21% fewer hospital admisembracing the sions and costs decreased by 40%. We’ve IoT,and ready to also achieved similar results on projects with governments in Korea, China and India.” grow with it” Thailand) for people to attend and see a primary care doctor or we offer it virtually, like
26
With the continued acceleration of digital transformation in healthcare, what hopes does Dr Khemka hold for the potential of the AUGUST 2018
— Dr Sneh Khemka President International Population Health Solutions, Aetna International
internet of things (IoT) to radi-
ready to grow with it.”
cally improve patient services?
Babylon Health has become a market leader
“Several use cases of connected
in the digital provision of GP services having
healthcare already exist,” he
made breakthroughs with artificial intelli-
says. “From smart homecare
gence. “Can you use a computer to analyse
and surgical robotics to weara-
your symptoms and tell you if you have a
bles (Fitbit etc) and the new FDA
meaningful problem or not?” asks Dr
approved smart pill (Abilify
Khemka. “Tech probably can do that to a
MyCite) alongside tele-monitor-
level of specificity, which is reassuring. But
ing to improve chronic disease
would you or I as human beings trust a com-
care management – the health
puter to tell us if we have a serious medical
sector is embracing the IoT, and
condition? Probably not.” He argues that while the tech might be there, the cultural acceptability of the use of AI in healthcare still has some way to go. “The alternative at Aetna is the virtual healthcare model,” he counters. “This gives you better and quicker access to another human being where AI may help with the diagnosis, but it won’t be a case of ‘computer says no’. We’re just not ready for that yet.” Thanks to the wide adoption of wearables we’re getting lots of basic information on what people are doing to stay healthy. Innovations by Nike and Map My Run are tracking activity, sleep patterns and nutrition, helping us learn more about people’s wellbeing. However, Dr Khemka argues Bluetooth enabled scales and cardiac monitors linked to your smartphone are limited value widgets which won’t last in the market for w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
27
LEADERSHIP
28
long. Though there is a positive cus-
tion our doctors get an average of 22
tomer transition with the diagnostics
minutes to listen and make a diagno-
capabilities of what you can do with
sis before setting out on confirmatory
your pocket device, he reckons it won’t
investigations to deliver a really good
be long before you can measure blood
treatment plan. Digital disruption in
pressure with an iPhone. “Out in the
primary care excites me the most.”
sticks, in India or Africa, if you don’t
Dr Khemka cites the growing role for
have access to opthalmoscopes or
the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
oroscopes, an attachment on an
and Internet of Healthcare Things
Android device could soon capture
(IoHT) among exciting things happen-
high resolution images to be sent to a
ing in the hospital environment. “Look
centre for processing. Aetna has set
at the massive rise in AI in radiology
up an IoT analysis function to look at
and tele-radiology. Radiologists exam-
new developments and judge which
ine x-rays and MRIs relying on pattern
ones are worth investing in for our
recognition to figure out what’s wrong
customers.”
with someone, whether that’s a
Aetna International aims to continue
tumour or a fracture. Actually, comput-
with its digital disruption by tackling
ers are much better at doing this. If
the increase of customer data while
you teach a computer the patterns to
looking for meaningful insights about
recognise it can perform this task
their health to further deliver products
more efficiently than the human mind,
and services more tailored to individ-
for example when detecting early can-
ual needs. “We’re also further
cers. The question for the human is
developing our virtual services provi-
how to interpret that. If the computer
sion,” adds Dr Khemka. “Away from
finds a 3cm polyp in a patient’s colon
specialist care, about 75% of primary
you then need the human intervention
care efficiency is driven by a doctor
to determine whether the colon is
taking a very good history and listen-
bleeding, examine the patient’s famil-
ing to you, taking time to hear about a
ial history and decipher what the scan
patient’s issues. Rather than having
means.
around seven minutes for a consulta-
“The use of AI can free up the doctor’s
AUGUST 2018
29
time for more important tasks around understanding the patient. If you look at tele-radiology, where there’s a scarcity of professionals in most developed economies, you don’t have the required specialists so you get massive turnaround times waiting weeks for the results of a MRI. You can outsource a lot of that to other countries to get results back in a useful timeframe.� Elsewhere, the use of robots in the hospital w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
LEADERSHIP
environment is becoming more widespread. “They can accompany a doctor on a ward round taking digital notes and readings – if it’s not an actual robot it’s a tablet,” confirms Dr Khemka. “We’re also seeing robotics in surgery with the rise of the Da Vinci operating machine. Especially used in radical prostatectomy where it delivers much better outcomes than the human hand as it’s more specific in avoiding the nerves and blood vessels.” Dr Khemka believes the cultural acceptability of virtual healthcare services will take time and is not helped by the “cowboys” in the 30
marketplace. “A lot of tech companies are using the Tinder/Uber approach for doctors targeting a patient with symptoms looking for advice. It’s a dating platform between doctor and patient which I believe is completely the wrong model because its episodic nature lacks continuity and trust. What we’re doing with vHealth is emulating the 1950s when your doctor was your friend and knew your family history. We’re trying to bring that doctor back into the family using modern tech to establish that link into people’s homes.” The doctor predicts data, and the ability to use it in a meaningful way is going to be what drives the winners of the business environment of healthcare. “The traditional AUGUST 2018
“A lot of tech companies are using the Tinder/Uber approach for doctors targeting a patient with symptoms looking for advice.It’s a dating platform between doctor and patient which I believe is completely the wrong model because its episodic nature lacks continuity and trust” — Dr Sneh Khemka President International Population Health Solutions, Aetna International
healthcare players are running scared
apply that consumer methodology to
of the likes of Amazon and Google
the healthcare industry they are going
because if they decide to fully enter
to win.”
the healthcare space it’s a massive
However, Dr Khemka is resolute in his
threat because they know how to han-
belief that Aetna International can rise
dle data,” he warns. “Today, if I want to
to the challenge by building on its core
know where there’s going to be an epi-
model of providing high quality private
demic of flu, my very best data source
health insurance while going local
is Google. How many people googled
across the globe becomes more
symptoms of flu in a particular catch-
important. “We recently acquired
ment area? That is the most accurate
BUPA in Thailand which has 300,000
predictor. Amazon is so successful
customers, while our India business
because it really spends time under-
boasts almost a million users. We
standing what the consumer wants
want to bring our data capabilities
and delivers on that. They’ve got deep
around analytics and vHealth to bear
granular information on customer
for all of our customers in both local
preferences and habits so when they
and international markets.” w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
31
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TECHNOLOGY
34
HOME SWEET GENOME Shivom CEO and co-founder Dr. Axel Schumacher reveals his plan to create a first of a kind unique global genome platform
WRITTEN BY
AUGUST 2018
MARK SPENCE
35
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TECHNOLOGY
T
36
hanks to his work on genomics, epigenetics, biomarker discovery, Bio-IT, aging and longevity, Dr Axel Schumacher is an individual, highly revered in global healthcare, not only for his leadership, but also his ability to translate scientific discoveries into practical applications. This, coupled with his forwardthinking approach to cutting-edge technology, means there are few people better placed to tackle the mammoth task of creating the largest, most ethnically and geographically diverse genomic and healthcare data hub the world has ever seen. And that is exactly what Dr Schumacher, along with his co-founders at Shivom, a blockchain-enabled platform, are embarking on right now. To develop a better understanding of the ambition behind this project, Healthcare Global spoke to Dr Schumacher about his plans to make mass genomic data analysis a reality. AUGUST 2018
ORIGINS
In essence the idea behind this project is fairly straightforward. Through the critical mass on Shivom’s platform and its proposed Unique Global Genome ID, researchers will be able to access more global data and be confident they are analysing each individual anonymous genome only once, therefore increasing the accuracy of research by removing the risk of re-analysing the same genomes again and again. But how did this all come to fruition? “I’m a trained geneticist and have my own research group. I was working on complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and so on but I also moved into the business world where I was applying my knowledge of genomics to that world. I also started working for a company in Switzerland building genomics and precision medicine programmatics platforms for the top 25 pharma companies. It was around this time I started thinking about
“ Using blockchain tech we can now store this data in a decentralised way so there’s no single, easy access point for cybercriminals to go into a database and download all the data and sell it” — Dr. Axel Schumacher, CEO, Shivom
37
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
TECHNOLOGY
blockchain technology,” he explains. Clearly, working with genomic and healthcare data in general is becoming more complex due to privacy issues so can blockchain help? “People are reluctant to share their data because they’re afraid it will be compromised, stolen or sold on the dark web, but it’s essential for research. At the same time pharmaceutical companies have to be careful with data given the new GDPR rules. 38
Blockchain tech can address some of these issues in the healthcare environment,” he says. STARTING A REVOLUTION
“ People are reluctant to share data because they are afraid it will be compromised, but it’s essential for research” — Dr. Axel Schumacher, CEO, Shivom
After meeting his now co-founders of Shivom, the seed of an idea
We started basically building a global health-
that revolved around building a
care ecosystem with a strong focus on
global business to revolutionise
genomics meaning collecting data from all
healthcare, but puts the patient
around the globe so that people can share it
first, was planted. “Most health-
and use it to improve their wellness and
care systems around the world
health. This is the next step in precision medi-
are broken because they’re too
cine: getting treatment tailored specifically to
expensive, too complicated and
do what we want it to do.”
involve too many middle men who
In order for this ecosystem to function effec-
shouldn’t be there. All of this can
tively, access to data is the key to finding better
be addressed with blockchain.
treatment for patients. Schumacher argues
AUGUST 2018
diately if the info is there about your genome. But we need to store this information somewhere and make it available and actionable.” In order to make this process actionable however, requires the ability to share data at a global level while ensuring it isn’t exposed to security breaches. How does Dr Schumacher propose this should work? “Using blockchain tech we can now store this data in a decentralised way so there’s no single, easy access point for cybercriminals to go into a database and download all the data and sell it. In addition to this we are also adding a layer on top of blockchain which means people can be anonymous on the platform. Even if a cybercriminal penetrated our system they wouldn’t find anything but meaningless data.” PUTTING THE PATIENT IN CONTROL
One of the other things Dr Schumacher’s team that today’s medicine and pharma
is exploring is the idea of a smart contract that
companies are not targeted
blockchain technology can apply to specify
enough in their treatments. “They
what should happen with a patient’s health-
use the ‘blockbuster’ model
care data. “Anyone can come to our platform
where a patient might have to go
and say, for example, ‘I’m completely into shar-
through 10 or 20 drugs to find a
ing my data with researchers because in my
way to treat something. Success
family we have diabetes so let’s share it with
is all dependent on your genomes
diabetes researchers.’ We could do this, but at
and the various variations of your
the same they can say ‘I don’t want my data
genomes. Part of our idea is that
shared with my insurance company but it’s
you can get the right drugs imme-
fine to be shared with my physician, my family w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
39
TECHNOLOGY
“ …pharmaceutical companies have to be careful with data given the new GDPR rules. Blockchain tech can address some of these issues in the healthcare environment”
40
— Dr. Axel Schumacher, CEO, Shivom
AUGUST 2018
etc.’ The key here is the power of the
can take our data everywhere. To get
data belongs to the data owner. Also, if
genomes sequenced is a one in a life-
people give their consent to share their
time investment you can use again and
data with chemical researchers, for
again if you go to the doctor, the hospi-
example, then
tal or using online
they get paid for it,
services that may
which is fairer.”
help your wellbeing
Not only is this
or that of your fam-
proposed plat-
ily. Secondly, it will
form built for
help researchers
sharing data, but
make sure they
Schumacher says
don’t analyse the
that other compa-
same DNA sam-
nies could add
ples again and
their services via
again. Dealing with
third party apps and offer to analyse a
a unique genome platform will save
patient’s genes further to get even more
time and money.”
insight into their health and wellbeing to
The platform is due to launch around
report on how they could improve their
December this year but by that stage
lifestyle. It’s essentially creating an open
only a few services will be available.
market.
However, this will change as the community grows. Schumacher is
PAINTING A PICTURE
convinced both he and his team are on
OF SUCCESS
the verge of something truly ground-
According to Schumacher the develop-
breaking and early reviews would
ment and deployment of a unique global
indicate he’s right. “We’ve had great
genome platform would deliver several
feedback from all the over the world,
advantages for both researchers and,
including governments and we still have
ultimately, the patient. What would the
more to announce. We’re building
success of a unique global genome ID
something that will truly benefit the
mean for global healthcare? “Firstly, we
whole planet.” w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
41
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
READ THE LATEST ISSUE
T O P 10
44
AUGUST 2018
Top 10
US companies in the medical supply chain This article takes a look at the best US health supply chain companies, as ranked by research and advisory firm Gartner in 2017 W RI T T E N BY
HARRY MENE AR
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
45
T O P 10
09
Owens & Minor www.owens-minor.com Healthcare logistics company Owens & Minor is based in Virginia and distributes health and medical supplies across the United States and Europe. The company
10
AmerisouceBergen 46
provides logistic and transportation services to private hospitals, as well as large-scale healthcare networks. Owens & Minor specialises in disposable medi-
www.amerisourcebergen.com
cal supplies, in addition to implants and
Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Ameri-
biotech devices. The company reported
souceBergen is a pharmaceutical
a net revenue of $9.32bn in 2017, which
sourcing and distribution services
represents a 4.2% decrease year-over-
company that specialises in the manu-
year, according to Fortune’s 500 list.
facturing and transportation of
According to Nasdaq, in November,
pharmaceutical, healthcare, and bio-
2017, Warren Buffett ranked Owens &
tech products, according to Forbes.
Minor among the most undervalued
Additionally, Amerisource provides
stocks of the year.
consultation services to healthcare companies, in order to improve supply chain efficiency. The company reported a net revenue of $148.31bn in 2017 which, along with a net asset portfolio of $33.92bn, represents a 10-year high point. Amerisource also reported net profits of $1.35bn in 2017, by far the highest bottom line in the company’s history. AUGUST 2018
07
CVS Health Corp www.cvshealth.com Based in Rhode Island, CVS Health Corp. is a healthcare and drug retail corporation that operates over 9,600 locations across the United States, Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, as well as its partnerships with over 68,000 retail network pharmacies. CVS locations provide a range of procureto-pay medical supplies, primarily
08
Cleveland Clinic
prescription drugs, as well as assorted retail products which range from consumables and foodstuffs, to children’s toys. Forbes magazine ranked CVS
my.clevelandclinic.org
45th on its 2017 list of the world’s most
The Cleveland Clinic is an interdiscipli-
valuable brands. The company also
nary medical centre with a flagship
ranked seventh in sales worldwide.
centre in Ohio, as well as affiliated
The company reported net sales of
facilities in Florida, Nevada, Canada,
$177.5bn in 2017, the highest recorded
and the United Arab Emirates. The
in a 10-year period.
company’s department of supply chain management operates across the five locations with a broad mandate, ranging from “sourcing and contract negotiations to purchasing and materials management”, all geared towards a “patient first” ethos throughout the entire procure-to-pay process. w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
47
T O P 10
05
Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com New Jersey-based medical equipment and supplies company Johnson & Johnson achieved its highest ever ranking on the Gartner medical supply
06
Mercy Health Partners www.mercy.com 48
Ohio-based healthcare organisation, Mercy Health Partners, operates over 250 locations in Ohio and Kentucky, specialising in the distribution of medical supplies with an emphasis on supplier diversity. The company ensures its purchasing partner strategies meet standards of inclusion for minorities, women, veterans and businesses owned by people with disabilities. The Gartner report stated that, in 2017, “one of the biggest changes at Mercy is its recognition that innovation has to be an intentional effort for healthcare providers”, and that the company “is committed to generating 25% of its revenue from innovation in the coming year”. AUGUST 2018
chain list in 2017, moving up eight places year-over-year. The company engages in “the research and development, manufacture and sale of personal care hygienic products, pharmaceuticals and surgical equipment”, according to Forbes. Gartner particularly praised Johnson & Johnson’s commitment to technological innovation in the supply chain sector. The company reported a net revenue of $71.94bn in 2017, and is ranked eighth worldwide by Forbes for market value.
03
Cardinal Health www.cardinalhealth.com Cardinal Health is a pharmaceutical and healthcare distribution company based in Ohio. The company “distributes branded and generic pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, over-the-counter healthcare and
04
McKesson Corp
consumer products in the United States,” according to Forbes. Cardinal Health dropped from #3 on Garner’s list in comparison to 2016, due to profit
www.mckesson.com
losses in the face of cheap generic-
Headquartered in California, health
brand drugs and the loss of a large deal
services and IT company McKesson
with Safeway, according to Fortune
Corp. specialises in the manufacturing
Magazine. The company is also contin-
and distribution of medicine, pharma-
uing a strategic shift in its supply chain
ceutical products, surgical equipment,
structure, toward “more vertical inte-
and health and beauty care products
gration of manufacturing in its medical
across the United States and Canada,
products segment”, according to
according to Forbes. The company also
Gartner. Cardinal Health reported a net
provides supply chain management
revenue of $127.23bn in 2017.
and logistics streamlining consultation services to biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The 68,000-strong company reported net sales of $196.5bn in 2017, and was ranked sixth in sales worldwide by Forbes.
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
49
T O P 10
50
02
Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.or Originally based in Minnesota, with additional locations in Arizona and Florida, the Mayo Clinic was ranked first in the U.S. News & World Report of the best hospitals in the United States. Founded in 1863, the Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit medical research and academic organisation with over 3,000 dedicated research staff. According to Gartner, the Mayo Clinic “has worked to bolster its fundamentals primarily through expanding the capabilities and reach of its Upper Midwest Consolidated Services Center… as the provider of sourcing and contracting for… over 60 hospitals in the region.” AUGUST 2018
01
51
Intermountain Healthcare www.intermountainhealthcare.org Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Intermountain Healthcare owns and operates 22 not-for-profit hospitals and 185 clinics that serve communities in Utah and southern Idaho, according to Bloomberg. Intermountain’s Supply Chain Management division provides logistic support for the repeat-purchasing of over 90,000 individual products, ranging from medical and pharmaceutical supplies to surgical equipment. The company has maintained an average share of 45% of hospital beds in Utah since its formation. Intermountain Healthcare returned to the top position on the Gartner Medical Supply Chain List for the second year running in 2017. The Gartner report states: “Intermountain Healthcare has a history of using supply chain strategically to support its corporate mission.”
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S
The biggest industry events and conferences WRITTEN BY ANDREW WOODS from around the world 4-7 SEPTEMBER
10–12 SEPTEMBER
[ BOSTON, USA ]
[ MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA ]
Bringing together 300-plus leaders and
This event follows on from the suc-
key influencers from pharma and bio-
cess of last year’s event at Kuala
tech companies, Cell & Gene Therapy
Lumpur, where 1,000 healthcare prac-
Bioprocessing & Commercialisation
titioners and leaders from over 35
2018 will provide you with the latest
countries were “united by the vision”
advice for driving manufacturing and
to improve quality of healthcare provi-
commercialisation through direct
sion and act together across
access to innovative discovery, product
professions and with service users to
development and regulatory knowhow.
achieve real success in improving
Discover everything you need in one
care worldwide.
place. Move between four tracks jam
The focus at the spring conference in
packed with topical talks and industry
Amsterdam this year will be on over-
case studies and meet with colleagues
coming the challenges, restrictions
for an unrivalled on-site experience.
and bureaucracy which stifle the
Cell & Gene Therapy Bioprocessing &
improvement of care, and although an
Commercialisation is co-located with
agenda has still to be confirmed for
BioProcess International as part of Bio-
the autumn, discussions could centre
tech Week Boston, allowing you access
on a similar theme.
to additional sessions as well as end-
Click to view website
Cell & Gene Therapy Bioprocessing & Commercialization
52
less networking opportunities.
Click to view website
AUGUST 2018
International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare
00–00 MONTH
Event Name Here 13-142018 SEPTEMBER [Hospital LOCATION ] Ucias nis eturit qui Asia Management
4-7 SEPTEMBER 00–00 MONTH
Innovation LabsName World Event [ SUNTEC CITY, SINGAPORE ] Here 2018 [ LOCATION ] Showcasing the best in government
innovation… Now Ucias intonis itseturit third year, Innoqui
[ BANGKOK, THAILANDquas ] toresto blamusam
vation Labs World will torestobring blamusam together quas
et ent enit, siminctatur? The 17th Hospital Management Asia
over 1,000 policymakers et ent enit,and siminctatur? technolo-
Aque isimenita (HMA)consequ is an annual regional event for
gists alike to showcase Aque consequ the most isimenita
num etur,owners, inus consehospital C-level executives,
inspirational government num etur, inus caseconsestudies in
caes is dolupta consequi directors, clinicians and healthcare
the world. It willcaes uniteisthe dolupta publicconsequi and pri-
ut verions equunda ecaleaders to get insights on worldwide
vate sectors tout build verions contacts, equunda learnecafrom
tiatem denemanagement repratetur, thinking, best healthcare
each other andtiatem createdene solutions. repratetur,
qui del imin comnist practices and solutions while creating a
This year will see quithe dellaunch imin comnist of new ses-
ionemporitis nobis real and virtual forum for networking in
sions on Skills;ionemporitis Payments; Inclusive nobis
dolorpo repello rrorepu Asia. Leading health executives from
Innovation; Critical dolorpo Infrastructure repello rrorepu and
dantia ut to exchange and aroundque the duciet region met
Connectivity & dantia Internetque of Things duciet (IoT). ut
eritas consequo voluptalearn ideas on evolving business mod-
The conference eritas will also consequo host Ministerial volupta-
tiur, escimax imperferor els, innovative technologies and
keynotes fromtiur, across escimax the world, imperferor includ-
sum conse moon eaquaimprovements management &
ing the world’s sum leading conse digital monations, eaqua-
tion pedipsam quiam. healthcare systems.
and ASEAN’s biggest tion pedipsam smart cities. quiam.
www.eventurl.com Click to view website
Click to view website www.eventurl.com
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
53
EVENTS & A S S O C I AT I O N S
29-30 OCTOBER [ SAN DIEGO, USA ]
18th Annual Pharmaceutical Chemical Analysis Congress
The Biomanufacturing World Summit
[ MADRID, SPAIN ]
brings together the “who’s who” of
The Pharma Analysis 2018 anticipates
pharmaceutical executives, cutting
participants, renowned speakers and
edge technology providers and media
eminent delegates across the globe to
partners for North America’s premier
be attending the conference to share
biologics event. The Biomanufacturing
their valuable presentation and galva-
World Summit series has grown to
nise the scientific community. Scientific
become the most senior and diverse
people from all over the globe focused
gathering of biopharmaceutical manu-
on learning about emerging technolo-
facturing executives anywhere in the
gies about Pharma Analysis. This is
world. Based on an ever-growing net-
a best globalised opportunity to reach
work of referrals and
the largest assemblage of participants
recommendations, Biomanufacturing
from the scientific community and
World Summit 2018 is designed and
research.
built by Executive Platforms to bring
This Pharma Analysis 2018 will empha-
together the right people from around
sise on recent areas of more optimised
the world and from every relevant com-
research techniques like experimental
pany to network, benchmark, learn, and
design, chemo metrics, chromatogra-
share with one another.
phy, electrophoresis, qualitative and
The Biomanufacturing World Summit
54
5-6 NOVEMBER
quantitative analysis in forensics, medicine, science and engineering.
AUGUST 2018
8-11TH JANUARY, 2019
18-20 MARCH, 2019
[ LAS VEGAS, USA ]
[ SUNTEC CITY, SINGAPORE ]
Digital health is a driving force in how
Returning in 2019 after a successful
healthcare is administered, customised
2018 debut, Phar-East will once again
and reimagined. As the healthcare indus-
bring together experts from Asian
try, policy makers, entrepreneurs,
pharma and biotechs, big pharma, reg-
patients and business world navigate
ulators, payers, technology innovators
through highly complex and unpredicta-
and more to share their expertise and
ble territories, it’s breeding revolutionary
chart Asia’s path forward.
approaches, unprecedented partner-
Across two days, explore four of the
ships and groundbreaking solutions.
most exciting areas of Asian pharma:
Digital Health—bold, boundless, fearless
• Immunotherapy
and optimistic—is showing the world it’s
• Market access
ready for whatever comes its way. With
• Regulatory affairs
over 55,000 sq ft dedicated to digital
• Pharma 4.0.
health, there is no shortage of cutting-
Brand new for 2019, there will be a clini-
edge innovations on display. Experience
cal trials and biotech investment track,
and interact with the latest technologies
giving you insights into this rapidly
advancing modern medicine, healthcare
growing market.
and wellness, including digital therapeu-
Phar-East is the premier meeting place
tics, artificial intelligence, sleep tech,
for senior executives from Asia’s
condition-specific wearables, precision
pharma and biotech industry. If you
medicine, virtual and augmented reality
want to identify opportunities in Asia
and so much more.
for your business…
Click to view website
Click to view website
Digital Health Summit
Phar-East 2019
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
55
DIGITISING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
56
With the main hospital accredited by Joint Commission International for its high-quality healthcare, Group Chief Information Officer, Brett Medel, discusses how digitisation will prepare TMC for the future WRITTEN BY
CATHERINE STURMAN PRODUCED BY
MIKE SADR
AUGUST 2018
ASIA
57
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
ealthcare leader in the Philippines and the owner of the first private hospital in Guam, The Medical City (TMC) provides cutting-edge health services, housing centres of excellence in wellness and aesthetics, cardiovascular, cancer and regenerative medicine. The company has recently embarked on launching seven new institutes, which will cover a number of common health problems within the country. With one flagship healthcare complex in Manila, four provincial hospitals, 50 clinic sties in Metro Manila and in select provinces in the Philippines, a clinic in Dubai and a hospital in Guam with a total bed capacity of almost 2,000 beds, TMC has looked to fully digitise its operations to adhere to its philosophy – ‘Where patients are partners.’ With over 30 years expertise in the IT space, Group Chief Information Officer, Brett Medel is set to take the organisation to new heights. Through its digital transformation, Medel will establish best practices and ensure TMC retains its position as the healthcare provider of choice. “TMC has been serving the Filipino community for 50 years, and it is considered a legacy institution. However, it has been saddled with a traditional front and back office system. It needs to transform to cater to the needs of the
H
58
AUGUST 2018
ASIA
59
The Medical City Critical Care experts Dr. Jose Emmanuel Palo and Dr. Jude Erric Cinco go over a patient’s X-ray while discussing his current condition.
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
trends.com.ph info@trends.com.ph T +63 2 811 8181 F +63 2 814 0130
Technology To Transcend At Trends, our full complement of services provide the right tools for our business partners to achieve their desired goals and thrive in a constantly changing and competitive landscape. We offer comprehensive services and full support through our skilled and highlyqualified team. Trends has remained an industry leader by committing to understanding its business partners’ needs first, and then identifying solutions and developing tech-enabled services to best meet these needs. We usher our business partners into the digital future by harnessing the power of technology that we carefully curate and customize with our years of expertise. Remaining true to our commitment to excellence and growth, we have expanded with regional offices in Cebu and Davao and international offices in Vietnam and Cambodia. Today, Trends caters to the requirements of various markets, a few of which include: contact center and business process outsourcing, financial services, telecommunications services, government, hospitality, healthcare, education, media, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors.
ASIA
61
new generation so it has invested heavily across its digital journey to significantly improve the patient experience,” he says. “My charter is to make TMC closer to the Filipino community as much as possible; to positively impact the patient experience and improve on efficiency by building an intercon-
A TMC vascular technician and a consultant perform a Carotid Doppler test on a male patient. A Carotid Doppler test is a safe and painless procedure that uses sound waves to examine the blood flow through the carotid arteries.
nected ecosystem of stakeholders into a single platform.” GIVING PATIENTS CONTROL
Empowering individuals is something which TMC will strive to achieve through open communication and the use of new digital tools. “From finding out the treatment for a parw w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
ticular disease, setting an appointment with a
awareness to ultimately improv-
doctor of choice, to being informed of the
ing the health of every individual.”
choices available for the type of wellness required is aligned with our value proposition
DIGITAL ROADMAP
of ‘Patients as Partners,’” adds Medel.
Providing a digital roadmap, TMC
“We see every individual not as merely
will partner with like-minded
as a clinical patient, but a partner who
companies to drive essential
belongs to the ecosystem of wellness and
change across its operations.
health management.”
“I always tell my people and
“TMC looks after the welfare of every
my partners, ‘implementing a
individual even before they set foot in the hos-
system is not the end result,’”
pital or clinic, as we believe that
reflects Medel. “However, to me,
healthcare is all about providing premium
the criteria of success of any
quality of health; starting from prevention and
technology project is getting
62
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WORK, SOLUTIONS THAT WIN! At Nexus, our commitment is to enable you to maximise your IT resources to your business advantage. www.nexustech.com.ph sales@nexustech.com.ph
ASIA
Laboratory technicians at The Medical City’s Regenerative Medicine Laboratory perform the engineering of cells and other biomaterials for the purpose of preserving, restoring, or enhancing organ function.
63
users to adopt the system.” With the aim to bring the entire the network of hospitals and clinics under one platform, TMC has implemented a robust cloud infrastructure that can not only cope with the demands of the business, but deliver resilience across its disaster recovery strategy. It will also work to ensure scalability. “By getting all areas interconnected, we can maximise synergies across the hospital network, without placing increased investment at each site,” says Medel. By appointing Orion Health Inc, TMC has
“ By getting all areas interconnected, we can maximise synergies across the hospital network, without placing increased investment at each site” — Brett Medel, Group Chief Information Officer
also invested in a world-class hospital information and consultation system, which will w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
BIO
64
Brett Medel has been in the IT profession for the past 30 years where 17 years were spent as CIO of various companies in the private sector. Prior to joining The Medical City, Brett served as Group CIO of ePLDT. As Group CIO of ePLDT, he wore two hats “Internal facing” where he drives the digital transformation journey of the ePLDT, and “External facing” where he engages with the clients to help them in their strategic IT initiatives. He used
AUGUST 2018
to be the Chairman of the CIO Council of the MVP Group of companies with 30 CIO/ IT Heads of member companies worked with him to bring about synergy through various IT initiatives of the MVP Group. Prior to joining ePLDT his experience cuts across various industries like mining, manufacturing, government, retail, and insurance. He used to be the Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Philex Mining Corporation (a member of the MVP group of companies) since 2012. He spearheads major business transformation initiatives in Philex to improve opera-
ASIA
integrate with its other ancillary subsystems. Nonetheless, the organisation is facing a
tional efficiency. Prior to joining Philex, he was the VP and CIO of Prudential UK and PNB Life. His IT exposure started way back in 1987 where he joined Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) as a management consultant where he held projects here and abroad for both the financial and manufacturing industry. Brett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering (Honors Program), Ateneo de Manila University.
number of regional challenges. “We have server-based and networkbased applications, but capability is always complex,” comments Medel. “To bring all of this into the cloud is the start of our transformation. At the end of the day, it’s all about bringing different players into an interconnected ecosystem.” PROMOTING ACCESSIBILITY
With so many hospitals and clinics situated over a vast geography, connectivity will also present fresh challenges. Strengthening the wi-fi within its hospitals and clinics will become fundamental for TMC to capture data across a number of platforms, particularly mobile, in order to draw insights, trends, associations, sentiments, psychographics and more, in order to develop new programmes and services. “Our digital transformation is not just about automation, but a shift in mindset by introducing new business models to raise the bar of the customer experience. It is about strengthening the company’s value proposition to the next level,” adds Medel. With this in mind, TMC is undergoing a significant initiative to build on its strong digital marketing strategy to bring the brand into the w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
65
digital space. This will not only boost the organisation’s foot traffic, but further its digital footprint across a number of touchpoints, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. “We have shifted our marketing resources to put equal emphasis on digital marketing as to that of traditional marketing. This is a strategy that has never been before done in the entire history of TMC,” says Medel. “TMC aims to top the charts 66
on customer awareness across its products and services. We would also like to get the pulse of the digital community by conducting social listening and see how we are performing as a healthcare provider in the eyes of the digital community. “Social media and mobile apps are sources of information that we can immediately collate and process, where either immediate feedback is given or immediate action is taken. This way, customers feel that they are valued and their feedback is taken on board.” AUGUST 2018
“ We see every individual not as merely as a clinical patient, but a partner who belongs to the ecosystem of wellness and health management” — Brett Medel, Group Chief Information Officer
ASIA
A Wellness doctor checks on a patient inside an Executive Suite at the Wellness and Aesthetics Institute.
67
ENGAGING ALL PARTIES
Moving forward, Medel remains
By deploying IT account managers across
keen to explore new avenues and
the organisation, TMC has built a culture of
unlock further potential which has
innovation among its employees and medical
yet to be explored.
staff, where it has gained a greater under-
“TMC will be on this digital
standing from various teams on what is
journey for the next couple of
required from a digital perspective to
years,” he concludes.
enhance the quality of patient care.
“We will be on top of AI, chatbots
“We need to make everyone aware of the
and of course, cloud. However, the
benefits and the value of digital, of being a part
most important aspect is having a
of the digital economy,” acknowledges Medel.
robust community drive. This will
“Not only medical staff or users, but also
remain the focal point for TMC.”
our stakeholders. Education is essential while we undertake our digital journey.” w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
68
Excellence in technology. Excellence in patient care AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
69
WRITTEN BY
LAURA MULLAN PRODUCED BY
CRAIG DANIELS
Partnering with the sectors’ leading healthcare and technology providers, Emitac Healthcare Solutions is transforming the patient experience w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
A
s the healthcare IT market is
all of our solutions are mission-
predicted to reach a value of
critical services that are
$280.25bn by 2021, Emitac Health-
important to save patients’ lives.
care Solutions (EHS) has made a name for
Healthcare is becoming more
itself as the most preferred healthcare solu-
and more complex therefore we
tions integrator in the UAE region.
need to have the necessary
Keeping pace with emerging trends in the
70
knowledge in healthcare
healthcare landscape, the Dubai-based firm
devices, clinical and IT. At EHS,
is tapping into Healthcare Information &
we have the right mix of talents
Technology (HI&T), a fast-emerging avenue in
and domain expertise. Our team
healthcare that aims to enhance operations
includes healthcare professional
in all aspects of healthcare management, by
medical engineers, nurses, doc-
optimising the acquisition, big data analytics,
tors, clinical specialist and
storage, retrieval and use of information.
business people. Our profes-
It is clear that EHS’s core mission isn’t
sional team supports all our
about technology for technology’s sake. It’s
mission critical solutions 24/7 at
about providing cutting-edge tools that
99.8% uptime.”
embrace the industry’s best practices, meets
“We also exclusively represent
the technological needs of staff and delivers
the leading brands in the market
the highest standards of patient care.
today like Philips, Vocera, Hill-
In order to keep abreast with changing
Rom, Masimo, Capsa Solutions
technologies and innovations, EHS’s Health-
and Stanley Healthcare which
care & Information Technology business unit
gives us a strong leadership
caters to the technological needs of the healthcare industry. Suresh Babu, Senior Divisional Director of Critical Care and HIT, says: “EHS strives to deliver reliable and cost-effective solutions that truly enhance patient care.” “Our success lies in our customer-centric approach,” Babu explains. “Fundamentally, AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
71
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
position. It is this combination of factors that is the key to our success. “Our eclectic portfolio includes critical com-
“Communication fundamentally helps to save lives,” reflects Babu. “Poor communication may
munication solutions, tracking and protection
lead to potential death. Unfortu-
solutions, patient entertainment, and clinical
nately, communication errors are
information solutions which come from the
the number one current cause of
industry’s leading partners,” he adds.
harm to patients. The Joint commission on Accreditation of
CRITICAL COMMUNICATION
Healthcare organisation
Communication is the lifeblood of healthcare
describes communication error
and perhaps no one understands this better
as the cause of 60% to 70% of
than EHS. As such, EHS has created several
preventable hospital deaths.” *
services to deliver end-to-end communica-
Traditionally, there is a time
tion between clinicians and patients alike.
gap required to assess the
No name? No number? No problem.
Call a person, a role, or a department instantly with just the touch of a button.
Learn more at: www.vocera.com/me or call 800-0182438
MIDDLE EAST
“ COMMUNICATION FUNDAMENTALLY HELPS TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE AND SAVE LIVES” —
Suresh Babu, Senior Divisional Director, Critical Care & HI&T
* Ref: Joseph Murphy, MD& William Dunn, MD CHEST Journal; December 2010 Vol 138, issue 6, page-1292
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
73
E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
patient’s needs from the moment
tion and every patient room,” Babu says.
the patient requests for help.
“With Vocera communication solutions,
With solutions like Vocera, the
the nurses don’t need to walk around as
moment a patient presses a but-
much they do, they can directly interact
ton, they can have live
with the patient or clinician wherever they
communication with caregivers
are. When reducing the communication
and their concerns will be
gap between the patient, caregiver and
addressed within 20 seconds.
clinician, more time is available in order to
“Nurses in the wards walk about seven to eight kilometres per day between the nurses’ sta-
74
potentially save lives”. Keeping pace with some of the sector’s most disruptive technologies, EHS offers
“ OUR SUCCESS LIES IN OUR CUSTOMER-CENTRIC APPROACH. FUNDAMENTALLY, ALL OUR SOLUTIONS ARE MISSION-CRITICAL SERVICES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO SAVE PATIENTS’ LIVES” —
Suresh Babu, Senior Divisional Director, Critical Care & HI&T AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
real-time location services, monitoring
prevents infants from being
patients, staff, assets and even the tempera-
abducted,” explains Babu.
ture and humidity within the facility. This
“We have a radio-frequency
ensures safety within the healthcare environ-
identification system whereby
ment and reassures new mothers of any
babies are tagged with devices
concerns about mother-to-infant matching
that work closely with wi-fi and
and prevention of potential abductions.
security systems. If a baby is
“Today, infant protection is very critical for
handed to the wrong parent, is
two reasons: it ensures the right baby is
near an unauthorized zone, or
placed with the right mother and are well pro-
is abducted, the doors will
tected within a secured zone, and it also
immediately lock and sound an
75
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E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
alarm – unless there is a fire alarm. This ensures the infant’s utmost safety.” PATIENT ENTERTAINMENT
Today, patient entertainment systems are also becoming a norm in healthcare, helping patients beat boredom whilst engaging in personal healthcare. Offering solutions such as Patient Linc and Mobile Linc, EHS ensures that patients can watch movies, Skype with fam76
ily members, and learn when their lab results are set to come back or when they’re going for an X-Ray. The result: increased patient
tors and patients potentially reducing
satisfaction, increased patient
infections which is one of the biggest chal-
engagement, better health out-
lenges faced by healthcare sector today.”
comes and fewer hospital readmissions. “Patient engagement is very
INDUSTRY-LEADING PARTNERSHIPS
To make healthcare affordable, Babu says
critical as they can be in a hospi-
the sector needs to utilise tools that offer the
tal for days or even weeks,”
best return on investment (ROI) and that’s
notes Babu. “The patient has to
why EHS only partners with market-leading
be engaged and they should
healthcare and technology providers.
have a choice of entertainment.
“Our solutions like Vocera, Stanley,
On top of that, Skype reduces
Masimo, Forcare, Hill-Rom, or Philips, are
face-to-face contact with visi-
amongst the best in that technology space,”
AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
"PATIENT ENGAGEMENT IS VERY CRITICAL AS PATIENTS CAN BE IN A HOSPITAL FOR DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS” — Suresh Babu, Senior Divisional Director, Critical Care & HI&T 77
Babu says. “That’s very critical, especially
“There is big potential in Middle
if you look at countries like UAE which look
East because there has been a
for premium brands. These solutions are
rise in lifestyle diseases such as
helping clinicians and adding value, making
obesity, diabetes and high blood
healthcare more affordable, interoperability
pressure,” explains Babu. “If you
and fundamentally increasing efficiency.”
take the UAE, for instance, the
The healthcare system in the Middle East
region has one of the largest dia-
is investing large amounts into infrastruc-
betic populations in the world.
ture and equipment. If the market becomes
Therefore, the Middle East is defi-
saturated with newly constructed hospitals,
nitely looking at investing more in
experts will look to see which technologies
healthcare and being more cost-
and applications could bring about cost
effective through technologies
optimisation and ROI.
because the population is groww w w. h e a l h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
E M I TA C H E A LT H C A R E S O L U T I O N S
78
ing and demand for healthcare is also growing.” Innovation runs deep at EHS
dynamic changes in the sector. “Healthcare is going to drastically adapt to the changing technology environment,” he
and not the one to sit on its lau-
says. “We believe that artificial intelligence in
rels, the Dubai-based company
healthcare is one of the best use cases in
is on the lookout for the next
healthcare technology and so that’s an area
state-of-the-art technology;
where we are focusing by partnering with
turning its attention to telehealth,
Philips AI. We are also exploring the use of
Tele-ICU, virtual consulting,
teleconsulting and telemedicine.
interoperability, and artificial
“Today, people want second opinions.
intelligence. As a result, Babu
They want to consult a doctor from home.
believes that EHS is ready for any
This critical communication technology is
AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
Emitac Healthcare at Arab Health 2018
going to drive the market of future virtual
United by a vision to champion
care. We are also going to focus on oncology
practices, meet the technologi-
services and recently partnered with Varian,
cal needs of staff, and deliver
who are one of the leading technology pro-
exceptional patient care, EHS
viders for oncology in the world. That’s an
has established its position in the
area where we expect to see growth.”
healthcare technology market.
Since he first joined the company around
Going forward, it seems it is set
13 years ago, Babu has helped to build EHS’s
to remain a market leader in
Health Information & Technology department
years to come.
from scratch. Today it has become fundamental to EHS’s success as one of the leading health technology integrators in UAE. Experience Excellence
w w w. h e a l h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
79
Enhancing patient lives
thanks to proficient
procurement
80
AUGUST 2018
ASIA
JAPANESE PHARMACEUTICAL GIANT TAKEDA IS REALISING THE BENEFITS OF A REORGANISED SUPPLY CHAIN. BERNADETTE MAIER, HEAD OF PROCUREMENT FOR EMERGING MARKETS, REVEALS HOW SHE PLANS TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM WRITTEN BY
TOM WADLOW PRODUCED BY
CHARLOTTE CLARKE
81
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N
o company survives 237 years without a degree of forward thinking. For Japanese pharmaceu-
tical firm Takeda, this has been no more apparent than in the past four of these years. An institution in Japan, Takeda’s rich journey spanning more than two centuries has exponentially gathered pace during the last decade thanks to a series of acquisitions. However, in order to make such growth sustainable for the long term, CEO Yasuchika Hasegawa decided in 2014 that a new, globalised approach was required. Fast-forward to 2018, and a centralised 82
procurement function is responsible for more than $6bn of Takeda spend – the engine room driving the company’s expansion in existing and new markets. Bernadette Maier is Takeda’s Head of Procurement for Emerging Markets. Based in Singapore, she joined the firm in December 2016, lured by a combination of a legendary heritage and the chance to play a leading role in new market entries. Her mission? To utilise and develop Takeda’s post-transformation procurement setup and generate value for both business and patient. “The vision which goes across all Takeda procurement is really being inspired by the patients we serve,” AUGUST 2018
ASIA
she says. “The function really is working in partnership, and I think that is the key word here. We are working in partnership to create competitive, sustainable procurement capable of delivering exceptional value for Takeda and improving the lives of patients.” FACTS
The Japanese firm is ranked 12th in the world by prescription sales and enjoys a particularly strong presence in North America, Asia and Europe 83
A ROOT AND BRANCH TRANSFORMATION The work undertaken prior to Maier’s arrival laid the foundation that she works from today. Before 2014, Procurement was organised in seven fragmented silos which individually held little strategic influence in the company as a whole and only delivered minor cost savings per annum (approximately $60mn). In just two years, owing to a concerted effort unanimously backed by company leaders, Takeda’s procurement function transformed into a global, category-based w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
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ASIA
“ THE FUNCTION REALLY IS WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, AND I THINK THAT IS THE KEY WORD HERE. WE ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT CAPABLE OF DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL VALUE FOR TAKEDA AND IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PATIENTS” — Bernadette Maier, Head of Procurement for Emerging Markets
organisation which now holds a place
busy with our internal activity
at the top table of decision making.
rather than being there with our
Maier highlights the importance
business partners, at the table
of a partnership culture, driven by
early on to see what their needs
teams which work collaboratively
are and understanding what they
to achieve goals.
need to be successful.
“In the past I think we were very
“We also needed to be speak-
much transactional and operational
ing their language. I think this is
orientated,” she explains. “We were
the key that we have now – a prow w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
85
Takeda Berlin
86
curement team on the ground
FACTS
who also understand our business partners' language.” This holistic approach has already reaped reward to the tune of almost $1bn in savings made in the financial years 20142017, with Takeda awarded a Procurement Leader’s World Procurement Award for Internal Transformation. For Maier, now is the time to stabilise and build on this success. “A lot of people tend to AUGUST 2018
Among Maier’s key emerging markets include Russia and former Soviet countries, Latin America and China
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forget how important stability is. There is
TRUST AND TALENT
a balancing act we need now, especially
Maier’s leadership revolves
when it comes to emerging markets like
around a strong faith in her team
Russia and China.
of 23 professionals based in vari-
“Another key challenge and priority is making
ous sub-regions on the frontlines
sure we win the battle for talent. We want to be
of delivery. Whether in Sau Paulo
recognised as a very attractive employer, with
or Dubai, she has empowered her
Procurement seen as an attractive place to be.
leadership to make decisions for
“Finally, the fundamentals. The core is that
the best interest of the business
we deliver value and, ultimately, enable the growth and research and development we
and end user. Many of these regional leaders
need in order to benefit the lives of our
are fellow women, another cultural
patients. It all goes back to the patient again.”
feature that makes Takeda stand
ASIA
out in the realm of procurement. Across the whole Procurement organisation there is a 50-50 male to female leadership split. “From a recruitment point of view, it is attractive to see that women can develop a career here in Procurement, “says Maier. “There is space for women, which I think also makes Takeda a very successful brand. We don’t have that problem you see in so many industries where the higher up you go, the fewer women you see.” Maier has just returned from Boston in the US where she 89
“ LOOKING AT EMERGING MARKETS, THERE ARE SO MANY PATIENTS OUT THERE WHO NEED OUR PRODUCTS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT TAKEDA CAN BRING GREAT THINGS TO THE PATIENT AND TO SOCIETY, AND THIS WHY I AM EXCITED DAILY TO WORK HERE” — Bernadette Maier, Head of Procurement for Emerging Markets
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
helped lead a procurement talent workshop for the company. Succession planning is a key part of her job in ensuring that Takeda attracts and keeps hold of valued staff, and the ability for employees in Procurement to travel and take on special projects helps make it an attractive organisation to work for. She also elaborates on Takeda’s ‘Procurement Academy’: “This is our internal learning programme, an online portal for all 90
procurement employees. There are around 100 different programmes, from negotiation training to finance programmes
feature. Communications have also
for procurement. So, whatever
been transformed, with channels
their needs are, they can tap in.”
such as Yammer, e-newsletters and video all utilised to boost engage-
AN INNOVATION FOUNDATION
ment across the company’s 350
Technology is another important
procurement professionals.
draw for Procurement employees, according to Maier. A vital element of company’s the
“We recently launched a ChatBot, “TakiSan”, for Takeda Procurement,” Maier adds. “This
2014-2016 procurement transfor-
ChatBot is learning our languages.
mation was the introduction of a
It's learning how to identify cost-
new suite of technology which
packages on accounts in order
underpins the centralised model,
to answer questions from the busi-
with self-service tools being a key
ness. We are very much looking into
AUGUST 2018
ASIA
FACTS
Takeda is the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and commercially present in more than 70 countries, with products and innovations predominantly covering areas of metabolic diseases, gastroenterology, oncology, cardiovascular health, CNS diseases, inflammatory and immune disorders, respiratory diseases and pain management.
w w w. h e a l t h c a r e g l o b a l . c o m
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what artificial intelligence can mean for us in the future." “We also have large projects going on to harmonise our system landscape we have in place. For example, we are really strong on the use of Ariba. All of this shows me that I'm in the right place with my leadership team, with my peers, having this vibrant conversation on the impact
“ THERE IS SPACE FOR WOMEN, WHICH I THINK ALSO MAKES TAKEDA A VERY SUCCESSFUL BRAND. WE DON’T HAVE THAT PROBLEM YOU SEE IN SO MANY INDUSTRIES WHERE THE HIGHER UP YOU GO THE FEWER WOMEN YOU SEE”
of Procurement going forward.” The importance of Takeda’s
— Bernadette Maier, Head of Procurement for Emerging Markets
procurement function cannot be understated when it comes to the 92
firm’s pioneering output of medical treatments. Maier cites Takeda’s recent efforts with its dengue vaccine candidate, which remains a key area of focus to help tackle this significant mosquito-borne viral disease that threatens 40% of the world’s population. And it is this end output and potential to transform lives that ultimately motivates Maier on a daily basis. “Looking at emerging markets, there are so many patients out there who need our products. I strongly believe that Takeda can bring great things to the patient and to society, and this why I am excited daily to work here,” she concludes.
AUGUST 2018
ASIA
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