14:57 30-MAR-2000
Pac Century Ins <0065.HK> in health care
venture
HONG KONG, March 30 (Reuters) - Pacific
Century Insurance Holdings Ltd (PCI) and Health
Care International Holdings Ltd had formed a
managed-healthcare joint venture with an estimated
total investment of HK$50 million, it said on Thursday.
PCI said in a statement the joint venture, PCi Healthcare Ltd, would use information
technology, and the complete suite of services was expected in full swing around
mid-2000.
PCI shares were up 19.69 percent or HK$0.625 at HK$3.80 in afternoon trade. PCI said
it will support the new entity in terms of resources sharing, expertise pooling, and existing
healthcare provision.
PCI deputy chairman and chief executive Andrew Yang said the new business included a
comprehensive Internet website, www.pcihealthcare.com, which will help better informed
customers on new products and services, global trend in managed healthcare, symptons
and remedies on general dieases, as well as updated medical research and headline news.
Health Care International's portal, www.healthcare2u.com, a medical portal in Asia, will
provide all medical information for the joint venture.
Health Care International chairman Jones Fok said he expected the new venture would
leverage and combine the expertise of medical health care, insurance, management, and
information technology.
The new venture will introduce a service portfolio to include clincial based consultation and
Internet healthcare advisory services.
The use of technology and Internet applications will bring other services such as an Internet
healthcare portal, large network of clincial service and support, and electronic
pharmaceutical mode, mobile laboratory and a vertical private network.
Fok said the intitial target is to sign up between 500 and 1,000 clinics through a medical
network.
PCI is 41.43 perecnt owned by Richard Li's Singapore-listed Pacific Century Regional
Development Ltd .
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