11-Oct-16 Baidu - China's biggest search engine - has introduced an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot to connect with patients and suggest diagnoses to doctors. The bot is designed to be the first port of call for a person feeling sick. A patient poses a health query to 'Melody', which responds with further questions, and compares responses with Baidu's database. [image: VCG / Getty Images]

03-Oct-16 Intuitive Surgical is expanding into robotic-assisted catheter-based medical devices through a JV with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical. These devices will use IP from Intuitive Surgical and will focus on diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. R&D and manufacturing will take place in Shanghai. Intuitive Surgical will oversee distribution outside China while the JV will be in charge within China. [image: Asian Scientist Magazine]

01-Oct-16 By using technology to let staff check out medical equipment like supermarket produce, Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore saves 4,640 manpower hours a year. It is rolling out an inventory management system in general wards. With Singapore's greying population, such innovations help mitigate the shortage of healthcare professionals, said Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck. [image: Healthcare Purchasing News]

23-Sep-16 Philips, Macquarie University's MQ Health, and Emory Healthcare of the US have announced Australia's first remote intensive care unit (eICU) monitoring program, aimed to help high risk patients in need of 'round-the-clock' observation. "We aim to transform the delivery of care to address growing clinician shortages while improving patient outcomes," said Kevin Barrow, Managing Director of Philips Australia. [image: HIT Consultant]

28-Sep-16 AIA Korea and SK Holdings have announced an MOU to develop Korea’s leading customer centric integrated digital health and wellness ecosystem. The companies aim to help motivate customers change and adopt a healthier lifestyle to reduce major chronic illnesses stemming from smoking, drinking, poor diet and lack of physical exercise. [image: Business Korea]