Globally, the insurance industry is rapidly changing with the increasing use of technology throughout the value chain. And because individuals in Asia Pacific tend to buy and use health insurance from life insurers, the need for data, customer engagement, and digital transformation is particularly essential. In this episode, I speak with Paul Hughes, the Head of Asia Pacific for UnderwriteMe. Paul and I first worked together at MetLife Asia many years ago, and he has worked across Asia Pacific for many other private insurers. In his current role, he is at the epicenter of the change spurred by technology and data, including digital health. In this episode, we discuss: • The structure of the typical insurance, from sales to operations • How technology and data are changing the way insurers need to operate • The role of digital tools including health and insurtech • The future of underwriting Paul Hughes Paul leads the Asia Pacific team at UnderwriteMe, a leading provider of underwriting automation solutions that helps insurers transform their new business process. He is responsible for creating and leading the growth strategy for the business in Asia Pacific and ensuring client success. With over 25 years of experience in the life and health insurance industry in Asia Pacific, he had held senior roles in Underwriting, Claims, Operations, Product and Marketing with leading insurers and reinsurers such as Swiss Re, Aviva, AIA, and MetLife. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Paul Hughes: LinkedIn UnderwriteMe: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche

The role of academia is an essential one for digital health. In addition to providing the platform to conduct clinical research and showcase where technology can create impact, the right environment also becomes the training ground for future leaders and change makers. In this episode, I speak with Dean Ho, who is one of the unique individuals who effectively bridges the different worlds of academia and business building. Dean is the Provost’s Chair Professor, Director of The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1), Director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), and Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the National University of Singapore. He's also an experienced business builder and entrepreneur. In our conversation we cover: • The evolving role of academia in becoming a hands-on partner for Health Innovation • The impact of Digital Health including AI on regulatory • How National University of Singapore is taking a role in designing the next generation of clinical innovation • The need for Digital Therapeutics in APAC Professor Dean Ho Using his CURATE.AI platform, Prof.Dean Ho has led multiple pioneering clinical studies that have validated the promise of N-of-1 medicine, where only a patient’s own data is used to personalise their treatment for the entire duration of care. Multiple CURATE.AI-based clinical studies are ongoing or cleared for start in the areas of solid cancer and blood cancer therapy, digital therapeutics/personalised learning, and post-organ transplant immunosuppression, among others.  Prof. Ho is an elected member of the US National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening, as well as a Fulbright Scholar. Prof Ho is also currently a Subgroup Lead of the World Health Organization-ITU AI for Health Working Group for Regulatory Considerations. He has also served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS), a 26,000+ member global drug development organization comprised of senior executives from the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, as well as academic thought leaders.  Prof. Ho is a recipient of the Tech Heroes from Crisis: Pathfinder Award from the Singapore Computer Society, NSF CAREER Award, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation Translational Research Award, and V Foundation for Cancer Research Scholar Award, among others. Prof. Ho was also named to the Asia Tatler Gen.T List, which honours young leaders who are shaping the future of the region. Prof. Ho has appeared on the National Geographic Channel Program “Known Universe” to discuss his discoveries in drug delivery and imaging. His discoveries have been featured on CNN, The Economist, Forbes, Washington Post, NPR and other international news outlets. He has advised major publicly listed companies as well as venture capital and private equity funds in the areas of digital medicine and pharmaceutical development, among other sectors. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Dean Ho: LinkedIn | Twitter The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1): Website | Twitter | LinkedIn WisDM: Twitter Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche

For some Digital Health companies, especially those in very developed healthcare systems, success can be contingent on identifying a single core problem and then keeping a tight focus on this challenge when iteratively building your great solution. But not every entrepreneur or corporate innovator has the luxury to take this path, especially when there are overlapping areas of need for your customers. In this episode, we return to Indonesia to examine both the challenge and the successful approach taken by Tiffany Robyn Soetikno, the Founder and COO of PT Global Urban Esensial. Robyn is a skilled entrepreneur who grew up in the Indonesian Healthcare industry. The results (so far) from her efforts have led to a startup delivering impact for 2.5 million individuals, 70,000 doctors, and 1,700 pharmacists. In our discussion, we cover: • A summary of the Indonesia healthcare landscape • Building a complex product roadmap and making it work • Her process for deriving consumer insights • Building scale across each of the different customers while managing growth Robyn Soetikno Robyn founded PT Global Urban Esensial (PT GUE, LLC), a leading digital health startup in Indonesia with a vision to reduce the relationship gaps between doctors and patients. Driven to create a health ecosystem that connects different stakeholders, GUE, LLC has developed three pillars: patient management, doctor management and medication supply. Robyn is passionate about enabling stakeholders within the healthcare industry, using technology to address gaps in the healthcare sector. As a startup founder, she has experience in making the jump from zero to one, scaling up, and transforming the team accordingly. She has also assisted several incumbents to grab opportunities in digital. In 2019, Robyn was named 30 Under 30 - Asia - 2019 under Healthcare and Science category. She was the only Indonesian entrepreneur honored by Forbes. Robyn earned her Masters of Science degree in International Health Management from Imperial College, London and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Public Health and Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College, New York. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Robyn Soetikno: LinkedIn PT Global Urban Esensial: LinkedIn Guesehat: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche

Across Asia Pacific, one persistent challenge is the digital readiness of a health system. Some are more ready for Health Tech than others. The ones that are most prepared have significant adoption of technology, data standards, and processes that embed tech-based solutions into healthcare. In this episode, I’m joined by Shigeto Miyamoto, Head of Digital Marketing for BMS in Japan, and a life-long evangelist for driving technology innovation. In our conversation, we take a deep dive into the current digital readiness in Japan. And while the discussion is specific to one country, the insights from our discussion can be applicable to other health systems. Topics we discuss include: • Cultural reasons why paper-based processes are still prevalent • Gap between the desire to innovate and barriers including regulatory • The impact of COVID on the use of smartphones, telemedicine, and EMRs • Cultural views on privacy and data • The hopeful future for Digital Health in Japan including AI and IoT / Smart Devices Shigeto Miyamoto Based in Tokyo, Shigeto Miyamoto is an experienced digital marketer and thought leader for how technology is driving disruptive innovation in Japan.  Shigeto is currently the Head of Digital Marketing at BMS Japan, where he is the lead for engagement strategy, contents capabilities, and marketing technology.  He has previously worked in insurance at MetLife Japan and held other technology-centric roles at both global enterprises and startups. His career choices are driven by a mission to solve the medical and digital disparities for patients. Shigeto is best known for inspiring marketers to tackle challenging problems through agile thinking and iterative product creation. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Shigeto Miyamoto: LinkedIn Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS): Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche

In any health system, a shift to value based healthcare is a desirable outcome. Especially if it can be combined with patient-centric clinical journeys. In this episode, Sylvana Sinha, the founder and CEO of Praava Health and I discuss the barriers and challenges to achieving this vision. With her background in health policy, international law, and as an entrepreneur, we have an insightful and fact-filled discussion covering topics including: • The cultural and socio-economic backdrop of Bangladesh, the 8th most populous country in the world • The current dynamics of access and affordability facing Bangladeshis today • The barriers and inefficiencies in creating a value-based healthcare system, including lack of labs, pharmacies, and overall accountability • Lessons learned from Praava Health in addressing these challenges • How COVID accelerated the need for more technology and new value based models Sylvana Sinha Founder, Chair, & CEO Ms. Sinha is the Founder and CEO of Praava Health in Bangladesh. Praava Health is building Bangladesh’s fastest growing consumer healthcare brand and raising the bar for healthcare with a brick-and-click healthcare platform that combines digital tools with meaningful doctor-Patient relationships, quality diagnostics, and pharmacy services. In May 2020, Fast Company recognized Praava Health in its 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards, and the World Economic Forum named Praava as a Technology Pioneer in 2021. She is now poised to scale the Praava model nationally, and to deepen Praava’s brick-and-click service delivery model. Ms. Sinha built this company from scratch, largely based on inspiration derived from conversations with public health professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors in India and Asia and beyond, learning from what had worked in other markets and what made sense for Bangladesh at this moment of its economic development. Ms. Sinha is as Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She also serves as a member of the World Economic Forum’s UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency and served on the Task Force on Global Advantage at the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where she earned a certificate from the Parker School of Comparative and International Law. She also earned a master's degree in Public Administration / International Development from Harvard's Kennedy School and her Bachelor of Arts (with honors) in Economics and Philosophy from Wellesley College and also was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Oxford studying politics, philosophy, and economics. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Sylvana Sinha: LinkedIn Praava Health: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into Indonesia. For some, the mention of this country might evoke extreme feelings. On one hand, there is the frustration of sitting in four-hour-long traffic jams in Jakarta. On the other hand, there are smiles all around when picturing a perfect holiday in Bali. But for healthcare professionals, the identity of Indonesia is dominated by the unique geography of the country – a population of 275 million people living across 6,000 islands. To help us better understand the healthcare challenges in Indonesia, which extends across more than 17,000 islands, I’m joined by one of its most visible entrepreneurs: Jonathan Sudharta, CEO of Halodoc. Founded in 2016, the company raised an $80 million Series C in 2021. In this episode, you’ll hear about: • Access and affordability challenges stemming from Indonesia’s economic development, demographics, and archipelago geography • The impact of Universal Healthcare, introduced in 2014 • The opportunity and early impact of digital health – including Halodoc – on health outcomes Jonathan Sudharta, Co-founder and CEO Jonathan Sudharta has over 15 years of professional experience in the healthcare industry, mostly in Indonesia and also abroad. Before establishing Halodoc, Jonathan held several key positions in Mensa Group, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia. After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in e-Commerce from Curtin University in Perth Australia, he began his career in sales management and has grown through the ranks in the commercial side of the organization. He started as a sales representative, after which he became the Commercial Director in Mensa Group where he gained a deep understanding of the sales cycle of the business, and finally he moved up to the key position of Business Development Director to lead the commercial initiatives of the group. Born in a healthcare group family, Jonathan grew up with a lot of awareness about serving people to maintain their wellness and helping Indonesian people achieve a better living through better health. That is the main reason why he decided to establish Halodoc, whose main mission is to simplify access to healthcare through the use of technology. Indonesia’s healthcare has many critical challenges, some of these are the inequality of health services across the archipelago, time-to-service for health in the urban areas, and so on. The aforementioned challenges require a breakthrough to solve from the fundamental level, thus technology is the key to attack the problems from the roots. Guest's Links and Resources Connect with Jonathan Sudharta: LinkedIn Halodoc: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter Host's Links and Resources: Connect with Tony Estrella: Twitter | LinkedIn | Personal Website Connect with Taliossa Read Tony’s Book: Comatose FutureProofing Healthcare | FutureProofing Healthcare APAC index Full White Paper, Summary and Video: A Vision for Asia Pacific in 2050 Follow Digital Health Today: Browse Episodes | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Follow Health Podcast Network: Browse Shows | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Digital Health Today is made possible by the support of our sponsors. Special thanks to: Bayer G4A Takeda Roche