Healthcare systems today are up against challenges of an unprecedented scale. Chronic disease incidence has continued to escalate, with 74% of deaths worldwide in 2019 attributed to such diseases as compared to 67% in 2010. The World Health Organization estimates that if the trend continues, by around 2050 NCDs will account for 86% of annual deaths, or some 77 million lives lost.

Meanwhile, global spending on health reached a staggering US$9.8 trillion in 2021, representing 10.3% of global GDP, driven in part by the pandemic as well as rising inflation and global economic conditions.

In the face of these growing challenges, the need for all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem – from hospitals to policymakers to solutions providers – to collaborate and innovate has never been stronger.

Innovation is a key pillar at Medtronic, founded by the inventor of the first wearable battery-powered pacemaker. As the company marks its 75th anniversary, its mission to improving care and widening access remains as relevant as ever, says Jennifer Cho, its vice-president of Island Southeast Asia.

In particular, emerging countries in Asia still face significant gaps in infrastructure to meet demand for healthcare, she notes.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of healthcare costs went towards resources to manage the situation, for example respirators or vaccines, which meant lesser investments into other areas. This has led to a delay over the past few years in building up infrastructure for treatment of critical diseases.”

The long-term value that innovative technologies present

Despite resource and cost challenges, it’s important for care providers to recognise the value of innovative technologies in the long run, Ms Cho points out.

The role of technology companies like Medtronic is to showcase how these new innovations “contribute towards value-based care, deliver return on investment in the long run, improve patient satisfaction and also boost clinicians’ confidence.”

For instance, a novel AI-driven system is able to scan visuals taken during a colonoscopy procedure down to milliseconds, alerting clinicians to the presence of lesions, even small polyps that can easily go undetected by the human eye. By improving detection and accuracy, this technology helps support clinician decision making and ultimately patient safety.

Going a step further, companies can also take on the role of training and development, such as creating training pathways and platforms for new technologies, and helping facilities expand into more detailed clinical subspecialties.

Partnerships for capacity building

In addition, partnerships across the industry in knowledge exchange and data sharing are critical in driving much-needed healthcare transformation, emphasises Ms Cho.

In 2023, Malaysia’s Institut Jantung Negara – one of the largest heart centres in the region – inked a comprehensive partnership with Medtronic around driving a holistic approach to cardiovascular care. This partnership will see joint capacity-building efforts as well as deepened engagement with regional countries for mutual sharing of perspectives and best practices. Both parties also aim to further drive public awareness of cardiovascular diseases. The collaboration maximises both parties’ expertise in cardiovascular treatment, thereby accelerating innovation for better patient outcomes.

Another partnership with Singapore’s SingHealth cluster will look at ways to improve management of Type 1 Diabetes, for instance through continuous monitoring and advanced hybrid closed-loop insulin pumps. This will also involve promoting awareness and patient support, as well as joint work on a health economics study to study feasibility for wider adoption.

Last but not least is its collaboration with multiple stakeholders in Indonesia, including government bodies, hospitals and associations, to identify current gaps in cardiovascular and stroke care in the nation and ways to bridge the gap. Strategies discussed include strengthened cardiovascular and stroke care setup, international accreditation, therapy development and greater public awareness on the importance of early detection and treatment.

Higher demand for innovation anticipated ahead

In conclusion, though constraints remain, innovation in Asian healthcare is set to march on in line with changing needs and demands.

“Regardless of the different regulations and economic situations in Asia, patients and doctors want more innovative products. Today, they can easily find out about new innovations online. This demand will likely accelerate the launch of innovative products in Asia, and narrow the gap between product launches in Asia versus US or Europe. We should see faster adoption of advanced technologies like robotics, AI, and minimally invasive surgeries over the next few years.”

“But a key trend moving forward will be the need to cater to individualised requirements for each country – it’s no longer ‘one-size-fits-all’ for the Southeast Asia region. We will have to customise our offerings and services to fit each country’s specific requirements. This is meaningful for us and with the growing populations across many countries here, I am looking forward to more opportunities to partner and transform healthcare in the future.”