At the fifth annual Asia Pacific MedTech Forum, held from 7th to 9th October in Singapore, regional medical technology association brought together twelve companies, across global MedTechs and local HealthTech startups, to present the APACMed Connected Care Innovation Showcase.

Through the Showcase, APACMed fostered a dialogue between policy makers, payers, providers and patient advocacy groups on the future of connected technologies across the continuum of care.

"The Innovation Showcase provides a unique perspective on the potential of connected care, by bringing together stakeholders from across the ecosystem to demonstrate new approaches for solving today's diverse healthcare challenges," said Chng Kai Fong, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board, "The APACMed Regulatory Summit is an ideal platform for the broader healthcare community, including regional policymakers and MedTech innovators, to explore opportunities for continued collaboration and partnership."

Building on the conference theme of 'Connecting Leaders, Connecting Care', these stakeholders were invited to discover how patients are becoming increasingly equipped to manage their own health data and personalise their care from hospital to home.

"This Showcase imagines those possibilities on a 2025 horizon as HealthTech startups and MedTech incumbents visualize this convergence of health technology, mobile devices and social media," said Harjit Gill, Chief Executive Officer, APACMed, "As patients transition from emergency rooms and the operating theatre into intensive care units, these innovators will present tech enable integrated care delivery that allows for remote monitoring, virtual consultations, diagnosis and treatment as future steps towards personalized medicine."

The APACMed Connected Care Innovation Showcase also highlighted how the use of predictive analytics promises to accelerate clinician decision making in the operating theatre, while at the same time empowering patients to manage their personal health data in order to minimise the likelihood of hospital readmissions.

Paul Grand, Chief Executive Officer, MedTech Innovator, the medtech industry's leading global accelerator and venture competition added: "Our goal is to unearth the most promising startups around the globe and ensure that their transformative technologies reach patients and improve lives. I'm thrilled one of our 2019 Asia Pacific finalists featured in this Connected Care Showcase along with MedTech Innovator 2018 alumni to bring to life the transformative power of medical technologies."

In addition, local MedTech Innovators also partnered with academia and research institutes to address the role of AI in an Emergency Department care setting.

Associate Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Medical Director National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), said "NNI is collaborating with Iota Medtech to advance diagnostics for better therapeutics through AI technology. This partnership presents new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in the management of conditions such as traumatic brain injury for better neuroscience care."

"With rising numbers in Singapore affected by neurological conditions, we must continue to improve and innovate care. A main concern for head injuries, currently the leading cause of disability and death for adults under 40 in Singapore, is time reduction in the acute treatment stage. Employing the use of AI technology can save critical time during diagnostics and transform care outcomes for patients," added A/Prof Ng Wai Hoe.

Recognising the rise of chronic diseases in Singapore and across the region, from diabetes to hypertension, MedTech innovators are seeking to alleviate public health expenditures by leveraging technologies such as Medical IoT wearables and tele-health consultations with virtual clinicians to substantially reduce the rate of readmissions, while tilting the focus towards preventative healthcare.