18-Jun-15 The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) was officially signed on 17-Jun-15. ChAFTA increases Australian investors’ ability to own medical facilities either wholly or by majority JV, enables some Australian physicians to offer services in China, permits wholly Australian-owned aged care institutions, and promotes cooperation in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine. [image: The Conversation]

17-Jun-15 Thailand's Board of Trade reports that health tourism continues to grow, predicting that the Thai healthcare business will grow by 15-20% in 2015. Health tourism generated national income of THB140 bn (USD4.2 bn) in 2014, reflectng 18% year-on-year growth. [image: Travel Daily News]

17-Jun-15 First Myanmar Investments Co Ltd (FMI) and Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group have launched a healthcare JV in Myanmar with a USD420 million roll-out. The JV is planning up to 20 hospitals in its national network over 10 years, focusing first on setting up 12 hospitals within the next three to five years. [image: Pun Hlaing Siloam Hospitals]

10-Jun-15 The number of patients consulting with their doctors online in south-western Queensland has tripled in just three months. At one hospital users jumped from eight to 40 a month. The increase is attributed to recently appointed coordinators, who show patients how to use the telehealth service, thereby avoiding hours of travel. [image: MEDAXS]

09-Jun-15 Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have raised the prices of 2,000 medical services at 378 state-owned facilities including 52 hospitals, as part of a nationwide effort to improve healthcare system finances. The prices of 477 services were raise to 85% of the ceiling rates which are due to be reached by June 2016, and the remainder to 75%. [image: Tuoi Tre News]