Founded in Hong Kong in July 2020, Aurora Tele-Oncology Limited, an oncology-specific teleconsultation platform striving to improve cancer care, recently announced a strategic partnership with Hainan UMP Internet Hospital, a telemedicine center of UMP Healthcare Holdings Limited. Hainan UMP Internet Hospital was granted a practicing license by the Health Commission of Hainan Province in August 2020.

Under the partnership, both parties will collaborate to bring cross-border, virtual oncology telemedicine services to cancer patients in Mainland China, supported by a panel of Hong Kong oncology experts. This strategic collaboration will initially target the Hainan province as a pilot, with plans to expand further to the rest of Mainland China.

UMP has also made a strategic investment in Aurora Tele-Oncology to further strengthen the collaboration and support future development of the oncology telemedicine services platform.

THE LARGER PICTURE

Telemedicine services has become increasingly commonplace in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and oncology telemedicine services can provide cancer patients with viable alternatives for treatment/follow-ups, especially if they are not comfortable with visiting hospitals during the pandemic period or have accessibility/mobility challenges.  

Earlier in July 2020, Singapore medical start-up Oncoshot partnered with digital healthcare provider MyDoc, to give cancer patients access to second opinion advice from leading oncologists, MobiHealthNews reported. As part of the partnership, MyDoc will direct patients from within its network to Oncoshot’s specialist telemedicine platform, which offers remote medical advice from highly qualified oncologists as well as a clinical trial matching solution.

ON THE RECORD

“It is an honor for Aurora to collaborate with UMP. Throughout a patients' treatment journey, we have witnessed their despair and helplessness. Aurora is established with the central vision and mission to provide cancer patients across Hong Kong and Mainland China with world-class cancer care. We strive to become their beacon of hope. With the use of second opinion telemedicine services, we can reach and help more of those in need. This strategic partnership will allow our expert Hong Kong oncologist panel to provide quality cross-border care at scale to patients in Mainland China supported by our virtual offering,” said Dr Chu Weng In, Sam, General Manager of Aurora Tele-Oncology.

Mr. Lee Kar Chung, Felix, Executive Director and China President of UMP, said: “The strategic partnership between UMP and Aurora Tele-Oncology makes the world-class oncology medical services become near at hand for more patients to meet their diverse needs in an effective manner. Benefitting from national policies, Internet-based healthcare services will be a key trend of social development. Telemedicine will continue to evolve with the development of innovative technology, playing a greater role in promoting healthcare development in Mainland China. UMP will continue to grasp the opportunities in the Greater Bay Area and the rest of Mainland China and bring high quality international medical resources to make further contribution to the Mainland medical industry with the help of technology”.