19-Jul-16 Adoption of EHR in India is inconsistent and more prevalent in private hospitals. Systems not always meeting interoperability norms, and incomplete coverage of Aadhar (ID numbers) pose significant issues. 35% of people rely on private points of care which often do not adopt EHR due to the cost, and connectivity in rural health centres also remains poor. [image: The Hindu]

19-Jul-16 India's government is planning to table a new Medical Device Act in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament. In a 11-Jul-16 meeting on the Make in India initiative for medical devices, attended by leading associations, issues such as ease of doing business, regulation, fiscal imperatives, scaling manufacturing, promoting exports, encouraging innovations and making India attractive for investment were discussed. [image: Business Standard]

19-Jul-16 Chinese people, now becoming increasingly tech-savvy, are embracing Internet-based medical care, according to a recent survey by Accenture. 70% had opted for online medical services via a mobile app or WeChat. 75% had searched for medication and information on medication online. Up to 60% said they had used “online doctor” consulting services. [image: Long Wei / China Daily]

16-Jul-16 Singapore's Tan Tock Seng Hospital has cut A&E visits by frequent hospital-goers by a third. This reduction was achieved through comprehensive post-discharge medical care from the hospital's Virtual Hospital team, which provides care and advice via phone, or visits patients in their own homes. [image: MIMS]

14-Jul-16 US multinational drug maker Pfizer is laying down a new foundation in Russia, with a JV to produce pharmaceuticals domestically. Pfizer’s announcement is a plus for Russian businesses, and for sentiment, insofar as it shows the country is still open to Western-backed multinationals. [image: Don Emmert / AFP / Getty Images]