Healthtech startup NOVA Health recently announced the acquisition of the Philippine operations of Madrid-based global insurtech firm asistensi. This acquisition expands NOVA Health’s presence in the healthcare industry and integrates a seasoned international entity into the innovative leadership of a forward-looking Philippine company. Asistensi will maintain its activities in Latin America, while its Philippine branch will be assimilated into NOVA Health.
The acquisition is anchored by asistensi’s exclusive telemedicine tech, bolstering NOVA Health’s dedication to sustainable healthcare. Telemedicine not only benefits the environment by cutting carbon emissions and minimizing the use of physical clinic spaces but also promotes energy savings and dematerialization.
NOVA Health’s acquisition of asistensi’s Philippine operations is set against a local healthcare landscape where Filipinos still spend roughly P10,000 a year for health-related goods and services. Household-out-of-pocket payments also accounted for 44.7% of all healthcare-related spending in the country in 2022, followed by voluntary healthcare payment schemes at just 10.5%.
Founded earlier this year by Sarah and Bjorn Pardo, NOVA Health aims to provide the best family healthcare experience in the Philippines. It offers tailored health plans not just telemedicine but also consultations, inpatient care, lab tests, and medication. Leveraging technology to create a medical concierge team that guides patients, NOVA Health offers accessible health plans that start at just P399 per month.
Both Sarah and Bjorn Pjardo led the acquisition of asistensi’s local operations. Sarah was the company’s initial investor and will now serve as Executive Chairwoman, focusing on positioning NOVA Health as a role model for future businesses focused on ethics, inclusivity, and environmental care. “At NOVA Health, by integrating asistensi’s proprietary technology into our operations, we’re pioneering an approach to healthcare that is as good for the planet as it is for our patients. This approach is essential as we work to build a sustainable future for healthcare in the Philippines and around the world,” Sarah Pardo said.
Bjorn Pardo, former CEO of asistensi Philippines, continues as CEO of NOVA Health. He brings a robust technical background, previously serving as Director of Commerce and Payments at UBX, leading digital bank UnionBank‘s venture builder, and founding Xend, the first eCommerce logistics company in Southeast Asia. Bjorn has also co-founded multiple e-commerce startups, including Jinio, QuadX, and OkayOkay, with successful exits and impact on their respective industries.
“Bjorn’s deep understanding of the local healthcare ecosystem makes him the ideal leader for this new chapter. His efforts with asistensi Philippines have already shown his capability to drive significant improvements in healthcare,” said asistensi co-founder Dr. Andrés Simón González-Silén.
NOVA Health will look to extend its technology to other companies across the Philippines, aiming to tech-up the entire healthcare ecosystem.
“We encourage other healthcare providers or any other business that could benefit from offering telemedicine to get in touch with us to see how NOVA Health can accelerate their sustainability goals with the help of our technology. Together, we can create a substantial impact on health, environmental, social, and economic sustainability,” concluded Bjorn Pardo.
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