Singapore-based healthcare group Foundation Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd. (FHH) has announced that it has entered the Hong Kong market with the implementation of Smarter Health Pte. Ltd. (SH)’s digital pre-authorization platform, launched in partnership with FWD Hong Kong.

FHH said in a statement last Thursday that SH is its wholly owned subsidiary, and FWD Hong Kong partners with SH to develop the pioneering digital pre-authorization platform in Hong Kong, shortening the pre-authorization application and assessment process from several weeks to as fast as one working day.

According to the statement, this allows FWD Hong Kong customers to experience simple, fast, paperless, and cashless claim settlement services at CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC).

This initiative is fronted by FWD Group’s health & technology division.

“We are honored to collaborate with the CUHK Medical Centre to offer professional medical treatment and nursing care services to our customers,

“With the support of FWD Group’s health and technology colleagues, FWD and CUHK Medical Centre have co-created Hong Kong’s first digital pre-authorization platform, which offers fully digitalized pre-authorization and payment-free medical claims services,” said Ken LAU, Managing Director, FWD Greater China and Chief Executive Officer, FWD Hong Kong.

According to him, the streamlined application process aims to provide convenience and relieve patients’ financial burdens and anxieties while ensuring timely and proper treatment with peace of mind.

Looking ahead, he said the firm hopes to extend its collaboration to serve more customers as it focuses on changing the way people feel about insurance.

FUNG Hong, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre, said CUHKMC is pleased to collaborate with FWD Hong Kong, which facilitates quality and convenient medical services for patients through the brand-new digital platform.

“At CUHKMC, we have been dedicated to offering healthcare services at predictable and transparent package prices,

“With FWD’s digital pre-authorization platform, transparency of medical expenses for patients is further enhanced,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said that digitalizing processes can also save healthcare personnel’s time in handling paperwork, but be more focused on patients’ treatment and care, which aligns with the firm’s paperless principle.

Choy Shook Yee, Chief Executive Officer of Smarter Health, said SH’s software platform and data analytics tools are designed to help healthcare providers and payors meet the growing demand for quality care while reducing costs.

“We believe that by leveraging the right technology and expertise, we can help make healthcare more accessible and affordable for everyone,

“We are honored to partner FWD Hong Kong to launch our digital pre-authorization platform in Hong Kong. We believe such innovation will improve FWD Hong Kong’s customer experience and eliminate waste in the interactions between hospital, doctors and insurer,” she said. – CHOY Shook Yee, Chief Executive Officer, Smarter Health.

FHH is a healthcare platform aims to design, build and operate a healthcare platform focused on creating value for patients by collaborating with all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem.

SH provides a trusted infrastructure for data exchange between key stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem.
The firm supports the delivery and payment for healthcare services in an efficient and effective manner.

FWD Hong Kong and Macau are part of the FWD Group, a pan-Asian life insurer with more than 10 million customers across 10 markets, including some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world.

FWD is a top 3 life insurer by new business first year premium in Hong Kong, and a top life insurer by premium growth income in Macau.

FWD Hong Kong offers life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning.

FWD Macau provides a suite of life and medical insurance products.

FWD is focused on making the insurance journey simpler, faster and smoother, with innovative propositions and easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology.

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