Philips is committed to improving access to healthcare in the Asia-Pacific through a combination of simplicity-led design, innovation and collaboration that is particularly

aimed at prevention, says Wayne Spittle, vice president and general manager of Phillips Medical Systems.

"We want to grow dramatically our medical-systems business in the Asia-Pacific by 20 per cent per annum," said Spittle, adding that the Asia-Pacific, including China and Japan, had contributed almost ?1 billion (Bt46.13 billion) in revenues to Philips Medical Systems last year.

Philips Medical Systems achieved worldwide sales of ?6.7 billion last year, including 50 per cent from North America, 30 per cent from Europe and 17 per cent from Asia.

"Healthcare is more than just another large industry; it is a vital sector that touches everybody," said Spittle. "We believe that future healthcare solutions and prac-tices need to connect and em-power societies, care-providers and consumers, to advance quality of life and create additional value.

"Ultimately it is about providing patients in both the developed and the developing worlds with access to affordable and available care of good quality. Philips is uniquely positioned to provide solutions at every stage of care; we are there to help with prevention, with early detection, with diagnosis, with treatment and with distance follow-up care," he said.

Spittle called the Asia-Pacific a diverse region with markets at various stages of development. Major healthcare challenges include a growing elderly population and an increase in lifestyle diseases like cancer and heart disease brought on by rapid urbanisation and more affluent lifestyles. By 2030, the number of people aged 60 and over in the Asia-Pacific will have more than doubled from today, and a projected 1.1 billion of the region's population will then be city dwellers.

"As one of the world's leading healthcare companies, Philips is at the forefront of develop-

ing technologies that best cater to the needs of the Asia-Pacific's population. In the emerging

markets, whether they are China or India or Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia or Thailand, increasing access to available healthcare systems and solutions is a serious challenge that needs urgent solutions. In the developed markets like Japan, Australia and South Korea, there is a rising demand for better-quality healthcare that is affordable; patients want more personalised healthcare solutions and put more emphasis on prevention and follow-up care," Spittle said.

Philips Medical Systems is the second largest provider of healthcare technologies and related services in the world and accounts for more than 20 per cent of the Philips Group's revenues. The Asia-Pacific is key to this, experiencing double-digit growth rates over the past four years. On the strength of Philips' advanced medical technologies and customer-centric approach, a significant number of new customers have been added to the Philips Medical Systems portfolio so far this year.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation

Hong Kong