Universiti Malaysia Pahang

Regulator bars e-prescription of non-OTC drugs in India Indian doctors using telemedicine can only prescribe OTC Drugs, according to the National Medical Commission. Based on the medical profession regulator's latest rules of professional conduct of registered medical practitioners in the country, doctors cannot prescribe via telemedicine drugs classified under Schedule X of the Drug and Cosmetic Act, including anti-cancer drugs. The regulations also frown upon medical practitioners who insist on conducting telemedicine when a patient is willing to travel to a health facility and/or requests an in-person consultation. Meanwhile, the new regulations order doctors to keep digital records, such as patient records, reports, and images, for three years from their patient's last consultation. Hong Kong's Health Department to hasten public health digitalisation The Hong Kong Department of Health has recently tied up with technology incubator Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation to pursue public health digitalisation. Under their memorandum of understanding, they will explore innovative solutions in four areas: health regulatory affairs, health protection and health promotion, health administration, and dental and clinical services. To this end, they will be working on six public health application areas: smart health regulatory functions, smart clinics, smart workflow re-engineering, smart customer services, online engagement, and data collaboration. Their pursuit of new solutions will also allow tech ventures to test their tailor-made solutions in real-life operating settings. UMP to rollout Imsight's AI-assisted CXR analysis tool Hong Kong-listed medical group UMP will soon offer AI-powered medical imaging analysis. The company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Imsight Technology to deploy the DR-Sight medical imaging solution to its centres in Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China. The AI-powered technology provides diagnostic support for analysing chest X-rays. It can identify various chest findings, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary oedema, and pneumothorax. It is also capable of alerting doctors of suspicious findings, which then enables early interventions.

ATLANTA--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- United Musculoskeletal Partners (UMP), a national leader in musculoskeletal care delivery, announced today a strategic partnership with Dallas-Fort Worth-based Orthopedic Associates . With almost 50 years serving patients in the metroplex, Orthopedic Associates has two clinic locations – Orthopedics Associates Flower Mound and Orthopedics Associates Northlake and a surgical facility in Flower Mound. The practice, which was founded in 1976, has 11 physicians. Orthopedic Associates is the third Texas-based practice to join the UMP platform in 2023 and the sixth Texas-based practice overall. UMP recently announced partnerships with All-Star Orthopaedics and OrthoTexas . Other Texas-based practices on the UMP platform include Abilene Sports Medicine and Orthopedics , Arlington Orthopedic Associates and North Texas Orthopedics & Spine Center . With the addition of this sixth practice, UMP grows to 29 locations, 80 physicians and 126 providers in Texas, offering world-class orthopedic care in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “We are excited to welcome Orthopedic Associates to the UMP platform” said Alex Bateman , UMP CEO. “Our mission is to build the best orthopedic platform in the country that delivers outstanding patient care and is driven by innovation. Orthopedic Associates has an outstanding track record as a physician-owned practice offering comprehensive, best-in-class orthopedic care, and we look forward to working with their talented team.” “Patients in Texas have trusted Orthopedic Associates with their orthopedic care for almost 50 years and their doctors and staff have become part of the fabric of the communities they serve,” said Brian Cormican , CEO of the Texas market for UMP. “They are exactly the type of patient-focused practice we look for to join our platform and I look forward to working with their outstanding leadership and the entire team.” “The UMP platform has a proven record of successful medical partnerships and offers our practice the opportunity to be laser-focused on patient care while the UMP experts handle operational functions and planning” said Dr. Manuj Singhal , M.D. of Orthopedic Associates. “We are thrilled to connect with fellow physician-led orthopedic practices on the platform and to work with the UMP leadership team to advance the future of orthopedic care for our patients and our practice.” "Joining the UMP platform is the next step in our evolution as a practice," said Dr. Ian Wilkofsky, M.D. of Orthopedic Associates. "Our physicians and staff are active members of our communities and are dedicated to providing the very best orthopedic care in the region. UMP offers unique resources that will enhance the patient experience even further and help us continue to grow. We look forward to working with the UMP team.” About United Musculoskeletal Partners United Musculoskeletal Partners (UMP) was formed in December 2021 by Resurgens Orthopaedics , one of the nation’s largest orthopedic practices. UMP partners with entrepreneurial, physician-owned orthopedic practices to deliver exceptional clinical care to patients around the country while simplifying the management functions of the practices under one umbrella company. www.umpartners.com About Orthopedic Associates Orthopedic Associates (OA) was founded in 1976. With locations in Flower Mound and Northlake, OA provides comprehensive musculoskeletal care, including surgical and non-surgical treatment, imaging, physical therapy, bracing, biologics and outpatient procedures. All 11 OA surgeons are fellowship-trained in at least one orthopedic sub-specialty including adult reconstruction, elbow and shoulder surgery, foot and ankle, hand surgery, orthopedic trauma, spine surgery and sports medicine. OA physicians are partners in Texas Health Orthopedic Surgery Center, which was ranked as a top orthopedic surgery center in the country by Newsweek in 2022. OA is a trusted member of the communities it serves and provides sports coverage to local high schools and the University of North Texas. www.orthopedicassociates.org

This announcement is made by the Company on a voluntary basis. COMPLETION OF AN ACQUISITION OF AN MRI BUSINESS The Board is pleased to announce that on 31 March 2021, UMP has completed the acquisition of 75% of the Target Shares of Flash Mover, a company that provides MRI services in the Yau Tsim Mong district. The Consideration, being HK$15,120,000, was arrived at after arm’s length negotiations between the Company and the Vendors. The Group funded the Consideration by its internal resources. Following the Completion, Flash Mover has become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and will be consolidated into the financial statements of the Group. INFORMATION ON FLASH MOVER Flash Mover is a company incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability and was beneficially owned by the Vendors as to 75% of the Target Shares prior to Completion. The remaining 25% of the Target Shares has been held by UMP since May 2017. REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE ACQUISITION As disclosed in the 2021 Interim Report, the Group will focus on enhancing the competitiveness of its core business and simultaneously, continue exploring new business opportunities. The Group believes the Acquisition will provide a strong foothold for the Group to extend its presence in the diagnostic imaging and laboratory business and strengthen the Group’s customer base, which will enable the Group to diversify and broaden its source of income. The above is in line with the Group’s strategy as set out in the 2021 Interim Report. With its diversified development strategy, the Group has been actively seeking new business opportunities to expand its portfolio. Leveraging its stable cash flow and recurring customer base, the Group is proactively exploring new mergers and acquisitions opportunities, aiming to solidify the foundation of its business, and expanding the scope of its advanced medical imaging services. Due to the profound impact of the COVID-19, increasing health awareness and high demand for healthcare service by an aging population in Hong Kong, the demand for advanced medical imaging services has seen steady and continual growth with enormous development potential. Investing in Flash Mover enables the Group to acquire a controlling stake in a growing business that would allow it to carry out its mid- and long-term operative strategies more speedily and readily. The Acquisition helps bring valuable synergy to the Group’s stable primary care business with promising prospects. Overall, the inclusion of another MRI-focused business in the Group’s service offering is in line with the Group’s overall strategy to provide accessible and affordable full-spectrum medical care. Upon Completion, the Group’s advanced medical imaging services now encompass a broad service coverage, all situated within strategic business locations. Through its multiple wholly- or partially-owned centers, the Group offer PET-CT, CT Scan, MRI, ultrasound, mammogram, and other medical imaging and laboratory services in some of the most populated areas in Hong Kong such as Causeway Bay, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mongkok. By doing so, it helps shorten the distance to be travelled by our customers upon obtaining referrals, which makes the Group’s multiple service points more accessible and convenient, and help drive additional traffic to our clinics and create a more vertically-integrated healthcare ecosystem for our Group. In the future, diversified healthcare products will continue to be a key growth driver, and the Group’s products must be closely related and complementary to its core business. Accordingly, with a view to enhance the Group’s long-term development potentials, the Acquisition will consolidate its position in the healthcare industry and is in the interests of the Shareholders. IMPLICATIONS UNDER THE LISTING RULES As all of the applicable percentage ratio(s) in respect of the Acquisition are less than 5%, the Acquisition did not constitute a notifiable transaction for the Company and thus the Company did not issue any announcement on the entering into of the Sale and Purchase Agreement.