The Healthcare And Us

In Malaysia, there is a growing healthcare demand

There is a growing need for good health care services in Malaysia, as a developing nation with a high frequency of chronic illnesses, raising expenses and straining resources. In order to satisfy healthcare needs and enhance patient outcomes, significant changes must be put in place.

A Personalised Healthcare (PHC) strategy may just be the next step for Malaysia. Early last year, though, Roche launched the Personalized Healthcare Index for Asia-Pacific and revealed that health systems are already on a course towards providing PHC. Some are in the early phases, while others are laying the groundwork or are already making the change.

Roche, a global leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, as well as the world’s largest biotech company, is on a mission to enhance people’s lives through the development of science. 

With partners across the healthcare sector, Roche aims to deliver the best treatment possible for each individual. Through data-driven medical insights, along with the combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, Roche is able to provide genuine personalised healthcare. 

In collaboration with a group of independent healthcare experts,  the Futureproofing Healthcare Initiative created The Personalised Health Index, a one-of-a-kind, data-driven, online policy tool to assist countries in prioritising resources, efforts, and implementations, in order to recognize the potential of PHC in their respective nations.

Roche held their second Life Talk session, Personalised Healthcare (PHC)-Because every patient is unique and different, in conjunction with Roche’s 125th anniversary.

The panel session, moderated by Mr Ahmad Azuar, CEO of Satu Creative Services Sdn Bhd, featured Professor Dr Pathmanathan Rajadurai, Senior Consultant Pathologist & Laboratory Director; Dr Cheah Soon Keat, Clinical Oncologist, and Dr Saiful B. Kassim, Consultant Endocrinologist.

PHC In Malaysia

The Personalised Health Index is a unique, data-driven, online policy tool developed by the Futureproofing Healthcare Initiative,

Malaysia, which is now laying the groundwork for PHC, is devising and executing strategies to turn the concept into a reality. A crucial priority is to advance the national plan or policy for personalised health or personalised medicine, in order to move towards simplifying the country’s regulatory processes. 

Malaysia also possesses the necessary digital infrastructure and data collecting capabilities to allow certain components of individualised treatment.

A component of the PHC journey, diagnostic testing, has a significant amount of potential when it comes to chronic disease management. According to Prof. Pathmanathan, an effective disease management approach that regards a person’s individuality such as the variability in lifestyle, genes and environment, can lead to more precise forms of medication.

Technology And Healthcare

Diagnostic testing is a part of the PHC journey that holds a lot of potential for chronic disease management.

According to Dr Cheah, as technology advances, so does personalized cancer care. With close cooperation in a multidisciplinary team, clinicians must harness each other’s expertise and strengths, so that the best outcome may be reached. 

Many technological improvements have been made in this area, maintained Dr Saiful, such as remote real-time data exchange between patients and their healthcare professionals from other disciplines. 

Healthcare providers will be able to make faster and more educated therapy decisions with patients if they have all of the data in one location. It has assisted in creating a holistic ecosystem to give better treatment. Despite having all of these tools at their disposal, however, people must be reminded to lead healthy lifestyles, because it affects how long they live.

As per what The Healthcare Access & Corporate Affairs Director of Roche (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Wong Sit Yin had said, people and diseases share at least one thing in common; individuality. 

Diseases, in many ways, are unique, the same way every person is unique. What the digital revolution will allow, in regards to the healthcare systems, is the ability to discern the differences between individuals, therefore enabling improved healthcare for each individual. 

The Life Talks series

In conjunction with Roche’s 125th anniversary, Roche in Malaysia today organised their second session of the Life Talk series, entitled Personalised
Healthcare (PHC) – Because every patient is unique and different

Roche, which was founded in 1896, constantly strives to find improved ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases while also contributing to society. The company is a global leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics dedicated to improving people’s lives through science. 

Roche is able to provide genuinely tailored healthcare thanks to its combined strengths in the pharmaceutical space, as well as its developing skills in data-driven medical insights. This is reinforced through collaboration with healthcare partners to deliver the best possible treatment for each individual.

Not only was the recent celebration of its 125-year anniversary a chance to honour Roche’s legacy. It was a time to strengthen the bond between stakeholders. 

This relationship is important in shaping better health systems. The Life Talks series enables Roche a connection with external stakeholders, to address global and local matters, and to strategize development for the many years to come.