capucine barcellona.

Summary

In 2022-2023, I acted as lead author and coordinator for a project on strategic health purchasing. I led a multi-country remote team on desk research and stakeholder engagement to study the landscape of health financing/purchasing in Southeast Asia and produce a multi-country policy report and online information repository. I also managed multiple stakeholder relationships (e.g., with funders, partner research groups, policymakers, senior advisors) and organised regional events to raise knowledge & capacity for strategic purchasing.

Selected outputs

Strengthening strategic health purchasing in Southeast Asia: Progress, opportunities and recommendations (October 2023). Policy report.

Challenges and opportunities for regional collaboration for strategic purchasing in Southeast Asia (May 2023). Commentary.

The Southeast Asia strategic health purchasing registry (February 2023). Website.

Summary

In 2022, I led a consultation with Singaporean civil society members to identify gaps in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country. I led recruitment for the consultation, focusing on underrepresented groups (e.g. gender & sexual minorities, youths) and health & social care professionals. I then convened and facilitated two Focus Group Discussions; jointly analysed the findings to produce a final report; and participated in various public-facing project follow-ups. Our consultation contributed to a broader global report on the state of UHC.

Selected outputs

Civil society consultation on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Singapore (July 2022). Report.

Making universal health coverage a reality for more people in Singapore (December 2022). Commentary.

Summary

I worked with a multi-country team to support the Thai government in bolstering its healthcare AI capabilities. I first co-led a systematic review on barriers to data sharing for healthcare AI in LMICs. My team tested the applicability of identified barriers by interviewing Thai stakeholders across academia, healthcare, policy and industry. Our research culminated in a set of policy recommendations to strengthen Thailand’s health data sharing practices & governance. Our findings were workshopped with government stakeholders and presented at various regional and international events.

Selected outputs

Responsible data sharing, AI innovation and sandbox development: Recommendations for digital health governance in Thailand (July 2023). Policy report.

Data sharing barriers and enablers for healthcare Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Low- and Middle-income countries (May 2023). Conference abstract / presentation.

Challenges and opportunities for data sharing related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in healthcare: A systematic review across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and a case study from Thailand (Forthcoming). Journal article.

Summary

I collaborated with a regional team from Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand to: 1) identify indicators relevant to the measurement of health equity across health systems; and 2) identify data gaps and challenges in Southeast Asia. I led an in-depth literature review to develop a health equity conceptual framework and a list of 196 indicators relevant to measuring health equity. I also worked on a data availability assessment for the ASEAN region and supported regional partners on stakeholder interviews to understand specific data gaps in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Selected outputs

Measuring health equity in the ASEAN region: conceptual framework and assessment of data availability (December 2023). Journal article.

Summary

I supported a range of projects on reproductive ethics & policy at the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore.

Assisted reproductive technologies – I led a research project on popular narratives on women who engage in egg freezing. My research was presented at the 16th World Congress on Bioethics (July 2022) and aimed to support ongoing policy debates in Singapore on the legalisation of elective egg freezing.

Embryo research – I collaborated with a team of bioethicists and clinician-scientists to examine the ethical implications of embryo research. Our team published an article in the Journal of Medical Ethics, arguing that research involving embryos should not be unduly constrained by decision-makers and that distinctions should be drawn between “future person” and “non-future person” embryo research.

Selected outputs

Empowered, exploited or selfish? The social construction and ethical implications of narratives on egg freezing (July 2022). Presentation.

Two kinds of embryo research: four case examples (May 2022). Journal article.