05-Mar-15 Thanks to the Korean President’s recent trip to the Middle East, four Korean pharma companies signed MOUs with Saudi firm Sudair Pharmaceutical, in deals worth about $182 million. Yonsei University Severance Hospital and Korea’s Green Cross Laboratories also signed deals with Saudi hospital operators. Korea has become one of the most popular medical tourism destinations for Middle Eastern countries. [image: Business Korea]

03-Mar-15 Hong Kong will continue to increase healthcare spending. In the 2015-16 budget, allocation to the Hospital Authority will increase nearly 50%. Financial Secretary John Tsang said the growth of the elderly population will push up demand for healthcare. He said the government will carry out projects to provide an additional 2,000 beds. [image: Healthcare Innovation]

26-Feb-15 The current growth of medical tourism is not stopping Southeast Asian hospitals from thinking about future business. Many are looking beyond their borders in the search of new sources of revenue. Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thailand's largest private hospital operator, recently opened its third institution in the only foreign country that it operates in, Cambodia. [image: Nikkei Asian Review]

24-Feb-15 While Australia’s healthcare system might suffer from some inefficiencies, the nation’s spending is roughly in line with that of other OECD countries. Australia spends a slightly lower proportion of GDP on healthcare (5.8%), compared with other nations in the OECD’s health expenditure database (6.6%), but actually spends more per-capita. [image: SBS]

24-Feb-15 Healthscope's private hospital business could grow faster but is held back by full wards and operating theatres, underlining the importance of its target to add 1,000 beds over the next three years. Half-year revenue growth of 6.3% was underpinned by patients with more complex and costly needs, and new funding arrangements with private health insurers. [image: The Sydney Morning Herald]