In today’s talking points, API proposes AUS$727 Million to Buy Sigma Healthcare, Researchers finds a new blood test that could save millions from blindness, Chinese resources and State Path Capital increasingly looking to work with Australian healthcare and China’s healthcare information technology momentum: an insider’s look.
API Proposes AUS$727 Million to Buy Sigma Healthcare
Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) is proposing to pay AUS$727 million to buy all of Sigma Healthcare, expecting its shareholders to own 63% of the business as a consequence of the acquisition.
API released a statement last Friday highlighting that the proposal will yield infrastructural benefits and result in back-office cost savings, thus empowering the merged entity to consolidate in the face of slowing revenue growth and increasing regulatory pressures. Currently, API already owns more than 12% of Sigma.
The proposal is seen as part of a recent series of deals in Australia’s healthcare sector which includes Sirtex Medical’s $1.9 billion buyout by China’s CDH Investment in June.
Source: news.com.au
Researchers Find a New Blood Test That Could Save Millions From Blindness.
On December 12, Australian scientists conducted a new blood test that could save millions of people around the world from blindness. Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) revealed on Wednesday that their new blood test could detect patients at risk of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common disease caused by macular damage that can lead to blindness.
By observing the photoreceptor molecules in the macula and understanding their function, scientists may be able to predict or diagnose patients with systemic inflammatory responses early and begin treatment before the onset of the disease. However, current detection methods may take several years to detect AMD, and the damage is usually irreversible.
If AMD is detected early, it can be treated with vitamins, minerals or surgery. However, once AMD begins, a threshold will appear. When this is exceeded, there is nothing to save the patient’s vision. Therefore, early detection is especially important.
Source: Xinhua
China Resources and State Path Capital Increasingly Looking to Work with Australian Healthcare Businesses
A Chinese healthcare investment fund led by a state-backed conglomerate is seeking to collaborate with Australian healthcare businesses to build a stem cell manufacturing facility in China.
China Resources Life Science Fund, which was established by the state-owned China Resources Group and Hong Kong-based investment firm State Path Capital, hopes to fill the exponential demand for healthcare products in the Chinese market through developing technologies with Australian businesses. Last year, the executive members of the Fund had invested AUS$25 million into the Australian University-owned medical device company Bionic Vision Technologies.
Consequently, this may open more and more doors for Australian companies in the healthcare sector.
Source: Australian Financial Review
China’s Healthcare Information Technology Momentum: An Insider’s Look
In the field of healthcare, the utilisation of information technology is generally related to two areas. Firstly, to technology in clinical practices which include barcode technology, mobile technology access practices, RFID, and semantics based EMR technologies to help process EMR information. On the other hand, it also incorporates technology to assist hospitals operations management. This includes communication, refrigerator monitoring, infrastructure, environmental, and energy consumption such as natural gas, water and electricity.
Healthcare information technology (HIT) has some unique practices in Chinese hospital development. In most Chinese hospitals, leadership plays a very important role in IT development. Therefore, in Chinese hospitals, usually the CEO of the hospital and the secretary of the Communist Party Committee will coordinate the participation of different departments and front-line employees in the process, especially the technical adaptation of HIMS verification. Secondly, there is no long history of IT adaptation, so hospitals rely heavily on partnerships with IT managers.
China’s current HIT development has several characteristics. Firstly, business-level integration at the service level and the data level. The second feature is the utilisation of big data, especially with the promotion of international standards such as HIMS. Thirdly, IT security needs to be enhanced in Chinese hospitals.
In the future, the development of HIT in Chinese hospitals will mainly focus on EMR, Big Data and employee’s KPI assessment.
Source: Healthcare Finance News