Curating a Policy Summit on Digital Health - Case Study
In my role as a global health advisor, leading the APACMed Policy Forum on Digital Health Reimbursement has been a compelling journey. This recent event, executed on May 23, 2023, served as a profound demonstration of the influential impact that strategic multistakeholder engagement can wield in shaping global health policies. As the initiator of this global collaboration, my central role involved meticulous planning, coordination, and execution, harmonizing in-person meetings across Japan, Korea, and Singapore with virtual sessions featuring speakers from Europe.
A Global Dialogue Unfolds: Navigating Digital Health Reimbursement Across Borders
Structured across three impactful sessions, the forum unfolded as a dynamic global dialogue:
Background on the Digital Health Reimbursement Landscape: Providing nuanced insights into the digital health terrain across APAC, the US, and Europe, this session set the stage for a comprehensive understanding of the global landscape.
Key Learnings from APAC and Europe: Delving deep into the experiences and challenges encountered in the digital health reimbursement domain, this session fostered an exchange of valuable insights.
Scenario-Based Case Discussion: A highlight of the forum, participants immersed themselves in a hypothetical case study involving a digital therapeutic product. This session unravelled the intricacies of reimbursement scenarios, offering a practical lens on the challenges faced.
The meticulous design of this format facilitated a holistic exploration of the global digital health reimbursement landscape. Policymakers, academicians, and industry experts from diverse regions contributed to a rich collection of insights.
Preparing for a Global Dialogue: Five Months of Strategic Collaboration
The groundwork for this forum spanned an intensive five-month period, marked by strategic collaboration with experts and stakeholders from different regions. Key elements of this preparatory phase included:
Strategic Representation: Ensuring a diverse and representative group of participants was paramount. Policymakers, academia, industry representatives, and patient advocates were strategically engaged, adding depth to the dialogue.
Aligned Objectives: Strategic coordination centred around aligning the forum's objectives with the collective mission of the participants. Intensive communication and collaborative planning ensured the seamless integration of individual objectives with the overarching goals.
Facilitating Inclusive Dialogues: Inclusivity was a guiding principle during the preparatory phase. The agenda was crafted to ensure diverse voices were heard, fostering a collaborative format that allowed for a nuanced exploration of strategies.
Insights from the Global Dialogue: Challenges and Opportunities
During the forum, policymakers shared insights on the current status and upcoming priorities for digital health reimbursement. Participants from Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea provided valuable perspectives on reimbursement frameworks through feedback on a hypothetical digital therapeutic product.
The forum revealed that, despite the increasing momentum of digital health technologies across APAC, reimbursement pathways remain unclear. Learnings from Germany, France, and the UK underscored the need for continuous engagement among stakeholders. The complexity of reimbursement pathways, particularly in the APAC region, was emphasized, with most markets perceiving reimbursement at the beginning or intermediate stage.
Bridging Gaps: The Road Ahead
The forum's conclusion featured an executive summary outlining the present state of digital health reimbursement in APAC markets. Emphasizing the need for a fit-for-purpose framework and highlighting the importance of the patient voice, the forum proposed a value framework for the APAC region, drawing insights from practices in Germany, the UK, Korea, and France.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of digital health reimbursement, the APACMed Policy Forum emerges as a strategic milestone. Beyond the event, my commitment extends to steering a course with a clear strategic vision, encompassing comprehensive reporting, strategic networking assistance, and ongoing dialogues. This strategic approach aims to ensure that the insights gleaned from the forum translate into tangible actions, ultimately shaping inclusive reimbursement frameworks for digital health technologies globally.
