Southeast Asia plays catch-up in dealing with graying populations
04-May-17, Nikkei Asian Review
Southeast Asia wants to defy Father Time. As its populations age and workforces start their inevitable decline, the region is counting on high-tech remedies to try and turn back the clock, or at least slow it down.
%20United%20Nations%20Economic%20and%20Social%20Commission%20for%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific.png "Southeast Asia plays catch up in dealing with graying populations (c) United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific")
Image: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Asia-Pacific people aged 60 and above are projected to increase from 12% in 2016 to over 25% by 2050. The disparity in access to health care is also huge, with the number of physicians per 1,000 people below 1.0 for highly populated countries like Indonesia and Myanmar, compared to 1.9 in Singapore.
Instead of relying solely on more doctors and healthcare personnel, hospitals have begun looking to technology. For example, cognitive computing is now being employed to manage patient data and diagnosis records.
Hospital operators such as Malaysia's IHH are working with IBM to leverage AI and the Internet of Things to enhance patient outcomes, for example in intensive care units at its flagship Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital. Using IBM's tools, healthcare professionals will have access to real-time data analysis, allowing proactive patient monitoring and targeted treatment.