Digital transformation

State-owned Indian Bank, which recently completed a merger with Allahabad Bank, said it has sharpened its focus on digital transformation this year.

“In the current financial year our focus is on digital transformation to offer seamless customer experiences across all digital delivery channels,” said the bank’s chief technology officer Deepak Sarda . “It includes revamping our IT operating model and enabling API banking,’’ he added.

Globally, banks are opening up APIs (application programming interfaces) or communication tools for software applications to fintech firms or third parties to help offer seamless services to customers.

Complex transactions

“In the next decade, technology will play a big role in mutating the DNA of the current banking model followed by most banks. Technology will further evolve to support complex banking transactions and processes,’’ Mr. Sarda observed.

According to him, banking as a service (BaaS) platform is expected to open new revenue streams for banks. One of the key monetisation strategies for BaaS include charging for the usage of fintech services, thereby improving the CASA (current account, savings account) share for banks.

He said Indian Bank would further strengthen its IT infrastructure and ensure optimum utilisation of technologies and systems deployed. The bank has also set up artificial intelligence-driven Bots to create virtual branch interaction.

“During amalgamation, we upgraded our IT Infrastructure to the latest technology, including moving the core workloads to IBM Power 9 processors.”

Indian Bank and IBM have over a decade of relationship that started with Indian Bank using IBM Power Servers and storage for their core banking solution.

The bank has implemented network technology in its data centre (Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure) that supports scalability and provides throughput to handle the load for the next 5-6 years.

Private cloud

It also implemented private cloud with the capability to fulfil urgent IT Infrastructure requirements with a turnaround time of less than an hour. To strengthen its technology, the bank has also been hiring.

“The technology landscape is changing more rapidly than ever before,” he said. “To ensure that we have specialists across the new technology areas, especially in new-age technologies, we have been hiring resources to bridge any gap that existed,’’ he added.

Smart EVN, developed by the Electricity Vietnam’s Information and Communication Technology Company (EVNICT), was recently presented the 2022 Sao Khue Award by the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA) for organizational and corporate management and governance.

Smart EVN, developed by EVNICT, was recently presented the 2022 Sao Khue Award by VINASA

Smart EVN was developed to serve internal company governance by connecting with its internal systems to provide employees with information, improving work efficiency and productivity, building a number of additional modules on EVN’s internal information systems to ensure that when integrated with Smart EVN, they will provide complete features on mobile devices and web platforms.

With two versions for mobile app and web, Smart EVN integrates main modules such as correspondence, documents, work timesheets, scoring, income, travel register, personnel, training, weekly work schedule, and medical care, among others.

Smart EVN helps save costs of printing, document storage, administration, operation, and software support, and saving time in implementing processes, searching and processing information, thereby improving labor productivity.

Smart EVN software has solved the challenge of integrating basic systems of EVN’s business administration and allowed declaration of integration and expansion of other applications such as communications, Digital Office, HMRS, office utilities, EVNPortal, notifications, authentication identifiers, centralized digital signature, mobile app, portal web app, etc.

Smart EVN software has solved the challenge of integrating basic systems of EVN’s business administration

Another outstanding Vietnamese product is WEONE developed by FSI, an automated business administration and management system providing a comprehensive remote management and administration solution from personnel to workflow. With WEONE, businesses can save time, reduce costs and unnecessary administrative procedures, and control the operation of the whole system easily to meet the requirements of both managers and employees during remote work.

FPT EagleEye mSOC, developed by the FPT Group, is a comprehensive security monitoring and analysis service exclusively for customers seeking to build and run a cybersecurity operations center. mSOC offers advantages such as integration with the world’s leading security solutions, high automation, rapid deployment, easy expansion and upgrade, and 24/7 support.

FPT EagleEye mSOC helps minimize damage caused by malicious codes or targeted attacks, reducing costs by up to 80 percent, two months of incident investigation/year and 80 percent of security personnel.

VINASA Chair Nguyen Van Khoa believes Vietnamese technology enterprises have quickly accessed new technologies, while digital ecosystems are gradually being formed for industries and economic sectors, demonstrating the synchronous nature of relations between technology business and the government in the development of Vietnam’s digital economy, society and government.

The information and communication technology (ICT) industry earned revenue of US$136.153 billion in 2021, up US$11.475 billion from US$124.678 billion in 2020. Vietnam will be shifting from outsourcing and assembly to the “Make in Vietnam” model – designing and making Vietnamese brands in the country.

Quynh Nga

Patients are being offered blood pressure checks in betting shops as part of an NHS shake-up.

Mental health staff have also been placed in GP surgeries to help children under the reform, which kicks in today.

Both initiatives were devised by integrated care systems (ICS), which are hoped will slash unnecessary levels of bureaucracy within the health service.

England will be split into 42 systems, created to bring together GP teams, hospitals, local authorities and other partners under one roof.

They have officially taken over the responsibilities of 300-plus hospital trusts, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and care systems.

The aim is to improve care for people in each part of the country — including those with multiple conditions who access a range of health and care services.

Some regions have already rolled out new services under the changes, which have been in the making for several years.

One GP practice in Stockport has started going into betting shops to deliver blood pressure checks, under one example highlighted by the NHS.

In Coventry and North Warwickshire, one local sports club is offering diabetes and obesity support, both through GP referrals but by also approaching people with the offer of access to a gym.

Dedicated mental health staff to help children and young people – called wellbeing practitioners – have also been put in some GP practices, to increase support and improve access to local mental health teams.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said the ICSs will transform the way the NHS cares for people and hopefully reduce the number of people seeking help in A&E.

‘Not only will the NHS provide care when someone is unwell or has an accident, but alongside our local government partners we must also now play an increasing key role in managing people’s health so that we can catch more killer conditions earlier and save lives,’ she said.

‘Local areas are already doing this by going out into communities to spot signs and symptoms earlier in places such as sports clubs and betting shops as well as ensuring people can access community support rather than using 999 or going to A&E.’

CCGs, which have had control of local budgets until now, have been abolished as part of the reforms.

Hospital trusts will be put under the control of the ICSs.

Under the previous framework, competition between organisations was promoted but this has been scrapped in favour of more joined-up working.

NHS bosses claim the move will save around £14million a year by cutting 170 health service chief executives.

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said: ‘Amid the many challenges facing health services today, working more closely with partner services presents opportunities to deliver better, more joined-up care for patients.

‘Joint working in systems will help the whole of the NHS to tackle inequalities and address deep-rooted disparities in people’s health and wellbeing across England.’

Louise Ansari, national director at patient championing organisation Healthwatch England, said there was a ‘desire among the public to see services closer to where people live, making them more accessible and truly at the heart of communities’.

She added: ‘When services act on the experiences of those they serve, it results in better care.’