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Global healthcare

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Werner_1
Super Contributor
Lets start a discussion... whats your thoughts on the future and trends in global healthcare, after writing an assignment (which i am still busy on) regarding Hirslanden (Swiss section of Mediclinic), I find it quite a fascinating topic, whats your opinions on the future of mediclinic? long term like 20 years...
4 REPLIES 4
warhippo
Super Contributor
Future and trends in Global Health Care can only be unimaginable exciting! If only you think about Africa - vaccines for Malaria, Hiv and blood tests developed to help detect early diagnosis of Cancers. Also latest trends in prevention and new cures for cancers. So the list goes on and on. However for me that stands out as extremely exciting is STEM CELL research with just one example: organ , limb replacements etc. Challenges however would remain Money and Accessibility!! As far as Mediclinic is concerned in South Africa which I am not so familiar with any more, I see the following challenges ahead: They will have to continue with training of nursing staff for their hospitals and even doctors?? as government is, or going to fall behind in providing trained people with private sector slurping them up. Most importantly for me is a trend, that people world wide expect health care to be the function of Government - more so in Emerging Markets. The jury might just still be out there for Private health care? Government might want more input/say? Just my own thoughts. Good luck with your MBA --
Werner_1
Super Contributor
Thanks warhippo, MBA going great actually! About the healthcare story, had a meeting with Dr Hertzog the other day and ended up doing some research into the way Hirslanden works, I think Mediclinic will have a great future of expansion in Switzerland, there's huge potential there and it seems that its their chosen expansion route. I would like to see an expansion into greater Europe too where I believe there's potential as well, Germany, Austria to start... Lets see what happens, but healthcare is going to be a big industry going forward! Aspen also interests me a lot as some of you might know, proud shareholder for 10 years now!
Yatagan
Frequent Contributor
Unfortunately, your profits are not always secure. What if some African country says: "We want your new wonderful effective malaria drug but don't want to pay $100 for it. We'll give you $2 per unit. If you don't agree, we'll just steal your idea, nullify your patent in our country and make it ourselves". Profit gone... I'm asking - could this happen....?
Werner_1
Super Contributor
This wouldn't happen at Mediclinic because they are not a pharma company, they're predominantly a "system provider" that makes money of bed-days and theatre time, there are other revenue streams as well, but these are the main ones... Aspen on the other hand, yes, they have risk of the markets, hence diversification in other regions, and they're generic provider, good for emerging markets... every business has risks, but just think about it, healthcare is something of vital importance for us, most medication or care is paid by health insurance and the number of diseases and problems are always changing... back to Mediclinic, the move to Switzerland was great... its a rand hedge and a very good market, aging population that will require more healthcare as they get older, higher income rate, better insurance, yes, some risks exist, but overall it could be quite interesting in years to come... just my thoughts... Personally I would like to see M&A in other European countries in the years to come, once the Swiss market is well represented within Hirslanden, currently in 11 or the 26 cantons, not that they need to be in all, cantons have different legislation and some just might not be very popular for the group...