Pro Tip: Learn how to use HBI Alerts to follow your favorite topics

Insurer

 

FREE BLOG HBI Awards 2018: Primary health platform for Indian consumers to overcome the lack of trust in the health system

In conjunction with the Indian Health Organisation, an Indian health care benefits company, insurer Aetna launched vHealth in November 2017, a primary health platform for Indian consumers to help engage with the medical profession and overcome a lack of trust in the health system. In an attempt to reduce physical consultations, patients can get unlimited teleconsultations, receive follow-ups, guidance and ongoing support. It has an outpatient network in 38 cities across India. Since it began, 800,000 people have signed up to the service and 16,000 teleconsultations have taken place. Aetna says the app has driven a 60% increase in contract sales in 2017 and an increase in coverage of 78%. The app has led to a 70% reduction in the need for physical consultations, reducing costs for the patient.

Payor-operator agreement heralds quiet revolution in Czech Republic

A quiet healthcare revolution is taking place in the Czech Republic. For the first time in almost two decades, providers and payors have reached an agreement on fees without the need for intervention by the Ministry of Health. Healthcare Europa speaks to an operator who says this is great news for private providers and a large step towards the creation of a more open market.

Citizens back national databanks

National platforms which bring together massive genetic databases, pharmacy records, images and patient records are being built in Europe and should have a profound impact on health care delivery by the early 2020s. We talked to Estonian and Danish policymakers about the implications at HIMSS 2018.

Pihlajalinna and Helsinki-based insurer plan nationwide cooperation

Finnish outsourcing specialist Pihlajalinna and Helsinki-based insurer Fennia have announced long-term plans to jointly provide “comprehensive health and well-being services”. Healthcare Europa speaks to Pihlajalinna and a local operator to find out more.

Six things we learnt at Himss 2018

Digital health players are morphing from app providers into health care service companies. Digital health is also a bridge which will enable big pharma and medtech to extend its reach far beyond pills and machinery and into services. And a mass market is opening up, as payors finally start paying for digital health apps and services.  We report from Himss 2018, which brought together a giddy mix of venture capital, digital health entrepreneurs, academics, some payors and forward-thinking chief technology officers from public sector hospitals, mainly from the Nordics, Spain and the Netherlands.

Hope for tariffs in Portugal

Portuguese for-profit operators say they are optimistic that the leftist government will not introduce swingeing tariff cuts. 

Find Us