(From left: Dr. Jessica Kaur Moti A/P Amarjet Singh (Telehealth Doctor Team Lead of Alpro Pharmacy); Ms. Christine Chong (Country Head of Sandoz Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei); Mr. Heng Meng Ze (Head of Digital Transformation & Innovation of Doc2Us)
Built around the theme "Affordable Treatment. Access to Healthcare Professionals. Continuous Care.", ACCESS360 aims to ensure that patients are supported not only when they visit a doctor or hospital, but throughout their healthcare journey.
For individuals at risk of stroke, stroke survivors and their caregivers, managing stroke risk can be a long-term responsibility. Knowing what to do is only one part of the journey. Patients also need access to trusted healthcare advice, appropriate and affordable treatment, support to take their medications as prescribed, and convenient ways to seek help when questions or concerns arise. Hence, ACCESS360 brings these elements together into a more connected patient support ecosystem.
Leveraging Alpro Pharmacy's nationwide network of more than 300 community pharmacies and over 1,000 healthcare professionals, alongside expertise of Sandoz in high-quality affordable medicines, and Doc2Us' digital healthcare capabilities, the initiative brings stroke prevention support closer to Malaysians, both physically in the community and digitally from wherever they are.
Stroke remains one of Malaysia's leading causes of death and disability, with more than 40,000 hospital admissions recorded annually¹. The impact does not necessarily end after surviving a first stroke. According to the Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Ischaemic Stroke, approximately 26.4%–30% of stroke survivors may experience a recurrent stroke within five years².
Individuals living with cardiovascular risk factors, including patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), may also face an increased risk of stroke. This makes early awareness, appropriate risk management, adherence to prescribed medication and regular follow-up with healthcare professionals important components of stroke prevention.
Yet in everyday life, patients may face practical barriers. Some may struggle with the cost of long-term treatment. Others may stop taking medication when they feel better, be uncertain about why their medication is important, or lack convenient access to healthcare professionals when they need advice. For stroke survivors, the transition from hospital care back into the community can also make continuity of care more challenging. Therefore, ACCESS360 was created to help bridge these gaps.
At the heart of the initiative is the ACCESS360 Stroke Prevention Digital Health Education Platform, providing easy-to-understand information on stroke risk factors, prevention, medication adherence, lifestyle modifications and long-term care. Rather than stopping at education, ACCESS360 provides patients with a pathway to take the next appropriate step.
Through Alpro's telehealth service, patients and caregivers can connect with pharmacists for personalised guidance on their health concerns, medications, treatment adherence and long-term care. Supported by access to quality and affordable treatment options from Sandoz, this integrated approach helps patients remain engaged in their care journey and maintain continuity of care. When further medical assessment is appropriate, they can be referred for an online doctor consultation through Doc2Us, providing a more convenient and connected pathway to ongoing healthcare support.
This creates a more connected journey, from understand the risk, access professional advice, receive appropriate treatment, to stay adherent and continue care. The initiative is designed to reduce the gap between knowing what patients should do and helping them actually do it.
For someone newly identified as being at higher risk of stroke, ACCESS360 provides a trusted starting point to understand their risk and where to seek help. For patients already receiving preventive treatment, it provides additional support to stay adherent and manage their health over time. For stroke survivors and caregivers, it provides an accessible point of support beyond hospital discharge.
Most importantly, ACCESS360 brings healthcare closer to patients by allowing them to access support through a community pharmacy, speak to a pharmacist remotely or connect with a doctor digitally when appropriate.
"Stroke prevention is not a one-time conversation. Patients may need to manage their risk for many years, and during that journey they may have questions about their medication, struggle with adherence or simply need someone they can turn to for trusted healthcare advice.
"Stroke prevention should not be limited by barriers to access or affordability. For individuals at higher risk of stroke, being able to access appropriate treatment and stay adherent to their prescribed medication can make an important difference in managing their stroke risk. For stroke survivors, these same principles remain critical in reducing the risk of another stroke. Through ACCESS360, we hope to bring trusted healthcare guidance closer to Malaysians through our nationwide network of pharmacists, both in-store and through our online healthcare services,'' said Dr. Jessica Kaur Moti A/P Amarjet Singh, Telehealth Doctor Team Lead of Alpro Pharmacy.
"Strong partnerships are essential to improving patient outcomes, particularly in the prevention of recurrent stroke. ACCESS360 brings together the complementary strengths of Sandoz, Alpro Pharmacy and Doc2Us to provide patients with more seamless access to education, support and care. As Sandoz celebrates 55 years in Malaysia, we remain committed to expanding access to healthcare solutions and working with like-minded partners to create sustainable impact for patients and communities across the country," said Christine Chong, Country Head of Sandoz Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
"Digital healthcare can help make healthcare support available beyond the traditional clinic setting. Through ACCESS360, patients and caregivers have another convenient way to access credible health information and connect with healthcare professionals when they need guidance, helping them remain engaged in their long-term stroke prevention journey," said Mr Heng Meng Ze, Head of Digital Transformation & Innovation of Doc2Us.
Through their respective strengths, the three organisations contribute different but complementary elements to the patient journey: Alpro Pharmacy brings community-based pharmacist support and nationwide accessibility; Sandoz Malaysia supports the goal of improving access to affordable treatment; and Doc2Us provides digital access to healthcare professionals and continuity of care.
Together, ACCESS360 aims to create a more supportive environment for stroke prevention in Malaysia, one where patients are better informed, treatment is more accessible, healthcare professionals are easier to reach, and continuous support is available throughout the patient's journey. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to help more Malaysians move from simply being aware of stroke risk to taking sustained action to manage it.
Members of the public, individuals at risk of stroke, stroke survivors and caregivers are encouraged to learn more about stroke prevention through the ACCESS360 Stroke Prevention Digital Health Education Platform, https://www.alpropharmacy.com/pages/stroke-prevention and explore the healthcare support available through the initiative, or speak directly with an Alpro pharmacist.
References:
- CodeBlue. (2022, December 6). Malaysian stroke patients bear most long-term care disability costs: Galen. CodeBlue.
- Ministry of Health Malaysia, & Malaysian Society of Neurosciences. (2020). Clinical practice guidelines: Management of ischaemic stroke (3rd ed.). Ministry of Health Malaysia.
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About Alpro Pharmacy
With humble beginnings as a single pharmacy outlet in the small town of Port Dickson in 2002, Alpro Pharmacy has grown into a diversified community pharmacy chain, providing comprehensive primary healthcare solutions through over 300 outlets nationwide and online. At the heart of Alpro Pharmacy are four key services: Professional and Personalised Pharmacy Services, Preventive Care, Mum and Baby Care (MamaBe), and Elderly Care (Silvercare). These services are supported by a team of more than 650 healthcare professionals, including family doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and many other healthcare professionals.
Serving more than 3 million families in Malaysia, Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the country to provide RM1 million product liability insurance, safeguarding patients by ensuring access to genuine medications.
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