AXA has announced it will be working with Microsoft to build a digital healthcare platform that seeks to widen the reach of healthcare globally.
In a statement, AXA said the digital healthcare platform will link its digital health services to support its customers at every stage of their e-health experience. The range of services offered will include a self-assessment and prevention tool, a medical concierge, a teleconsultation interface, a digital document vault, home care services (e.g. medicine delivery) and a directory of healthcare professionals.
Furthermore, the platform will seek to break down health service silos to improve research, treatments and prevent diseases.
The partnership will draw on AXA’s global reach, extensive experience in healthcare and insurance, business and technology architecture skills, and Microsoft's expertise in cloud-based computing, artificial intelligence, and its widespread connections with clinical partners and third-party vendors.
Among the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare technologies to be harnessed for the platform include Azure API for FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), which is said to enable patient insights without compromising patient privacy.
In late 2020, a pilot program was launched, featuring a self-assessment tool, teleconsultation and a medical concierge to facilitate appointment-setting. The platform is currently open to AXA customers in Germany and Italy. The service will be deployed by 2022 in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland, to be followed by AXA’s other global markets.
“AXA is a world leader in healthcare. Our objectives in this field are among the top priorities of our Driving Progress 2023 strategic plan,” said Thomas Buberl, AXA chief executive. “This ambition is further strengthened today in the face of the current historic worldwide public health crisis.
“In many countries, the fragmentation, complexity and costs of health systems are a barrier to access to care. This new ecosystem of services that we have developed with Microsoft is a powerful lever to provide customers with access to the best healthcare solutions. It also illustrates the decisive role of AXA's technological expertise in the success of its Payer to Partner strategy,”
