Year: 2025

Early detection healthcare showcases the future of medicine

Posted on by itsupport

Today there is a keen focus on longevity, with millions being spent on studying how we can extend life. However, perhaps even more important is ensuring we are in the best of health for however many years we have left.

Echelon Health was established 15 years ago in Harley Street with the aim of saving lives through early detection of disease. It brings together 30 years of clinical expertise, the most advanced imaging technology and unparalleled client service to offer some of the world’s leading health assessments available today. Its preventative health assessments detect disease at its earliest stage (usually before any symptoms) to maximise the chances of effective treatment. They allow its clients to establish a baseline for the condition of their health and recommend an appropriate onward lifestyle plan.

Top-of-the-range tech
To enable this quality of service, it uses the best technology. Its 3T MRI scanner and Aquilion One Prism CT scanner are the most advanced scanners currently in use worldwide. They are able to capture tumours as small as 1–2mm, and Echelon’s Platinum Assessment can detect up to 92 percent and 95 percent of preventable causes of death among men and women respectively.

The key to providing the best service is to have access to the best specialists and partners

Echelon Health is unique in recognising that no single scanner can assess all diseases. A combination of the most advanced MRI, CT and ultrasound technology, alongside comprehensive blood tests such as tumour markers, means every client receives the most comprehensive results currently available.

Echelon prides itself on excellence in customer care, prioritising safety, wellbeing and comfort. Your health assessment will be carried out by some of the highest trained radiographers in the country. The resulting high-quality images are interpreted by a select group of internationally renowned specialist radiologists. The assessment of all blood tests and imaging reports, as well as your personal consultation at the end of the process, will be done by one of the finest physicians consulting in Harley Street today. Should anything be found during your health check that requires further investigation, Echelon has a network of pre-eminent specialists and consultants. If necessary, it will provide rapid referral to a relevant specialist. Modern medicine is about specialism. Echelon Health recognises that the key to providing the best service is to have access to the best specialists and partners.

Independently verified
What sets Echelon Health apart is that their assessments are benchmarked not only against the top providers in the UK but also globally. “The service they are providing at present is, in my opinion, the best that can be achieved in current practice with existing knowledge,” said Dr David Wilson, Past President, British Institute of Radiology.

Success stories fuel the company’s passion. One client was diagnosed by Echelon Health with a cerebral arteriovenous fistula in his brain. This fistula was causing him no symptoms and would have been missed in a normal medical check-up. Post diagnosis, the client was immediately referred by Echelon Health to one of the premier specialists in the country and underwent a successful procedure a few days later.

Other clients include the British fashion designer Amanda Wakeley OBE, who says: “The combination of losing a seemingly healthy sibling to a brain tumour, a milestone birthday and 30 plus years of a highly stressful career were the catalysts for me in signing up for the Echelon Platinum Health Assessment.

“The follow-up consultation was reassuring but also revealed a couple of issues that my regular health checks would not have uncovered, and if left untreated would possibly have had an impact on my life at a later date. I feel encouraged by this health MOT, relieved to be aware of where my body is at and reminded to never be complacent or take my health for granted.”

The role of financial inclusion in Mexico

Posted on by itsupport

Imagine living in a remote location, so remote that there is no bank and no access to financial services. While online banking and fintech have significantly reduced such cases, many people still don’t have access to the internet, particularly in rural areas, and continue to rely heavily on local bank branches. Additionally, some may not be familiar with digital financial services too, and therefore be ‘financially excluded.’

Banco Azteca explains: “According to the 2021 Encuesta Nacional de Inclusión Financiera (ENIF), 32.2 percent of adults (ages 18–70) in Mexico remain financially excluded, meaning they lack access to formal financial services such as savings accounts, credit, or insurance. This exclusion is especially prevalent in rural areas and among lower-income populations, with a noticeable gender gap, as men tend to have better access to financial products than women.”

Universal access
Financial inclusion ensures everyone, regardless of their location or background, has access to banking services, savings accounts, insurance, and payment services. Alejandro Valenzuela, Chairman of the Board at Banco Azteca, told World Finance that “financial inclusion in Mexico has progressed significantly.”

Citing the World Bank, Valenzuela adds: “As of 2021, 49 percent of the adult population in Mexico holds a formal financial account, leaving approximately 51 percent still excluded, particularly in rural and low-income areas.” Challenges remain to deliver affordable, responsible and sustainable financial services. To promote financial inclusion, the bank focuses on providing accessible services to underserved populations – particularly low-income households and rural communities.

Challenges remain to deliver affordable, responsible and sustainable financial services

“Today, Banco Azteca is the private bank with the largest branch network in Mexico, enabling it to reach people in remote areas,” Valenzuela says before adding that the bank’s “expansive presence, combined with digital initiatives, has played a critical role in reducing financial exclusion across the country.”

Banco Azteca thinks financial inclusion is vital for Mexico’s economic and social development. Valenzuela explains why: “It enables individuals to participate actively in the economy, reduce poverty, and build financial resilience. However, achieving true financial inclusion in a country as diverse as Mexico requires more than just digital solutions – it requires a phygital approach, a concept we embrace.”

Banco Azteca’s approach, known as the ‘phygital banking model,’ combines the convenience of digital channels with accessibility provided by its branch network. In 2023, over 705 million transactions were completed through the Banco Azteca app, breaking down geographical and infrastructural barriers. However, many Mexicans still prefer in-person interactions.

“This preference often stems from limited access to the internet, unfamiliarity with digital tools, or a personal choice for face-to-face assistance,” explains Valenzuela. Therefore, phygital banking is also about maintaining over 2,000 branches nationwide. Physical branches remain a critical part of the product mix, because in rural areas, anyone who is new to banking very much relies upon them for critical financial services.

Addressing financial exclusion
The bank invests in digital tools to widen access to financial services, considering preferences for digital or in-person access and personal circumstances. As a bank and the largest issuer of personal loans in Mexico, it wants to grant accessible credit to foster financial mobility and reduce inequality.

Improving financial inclusion in Mexico also involves financial literacy programmes. One of those initiatives is Banco Azteca’s ‘Aprende y Crece’ (Learn and Grow), which reached over 1.5 million people in 2023. This programme helps individuals learn essential financial skills with confidence, enabling them to use both in-person services at branches, and to utilise digital banking services. “By combining digital tools, personalised branch services, and education, we are closing financial gaps and empowering more people to participate fully in the economy,” claims Valenzuela.

The Mexican economy is growing modestly. In 2023 it grew by 3.2 percent, according to the official figures from INEGI. Despite this, the bank says income inequality is a major issue, with rural, low-income populations being the most disproportionately affected – limiting access to financial services. Modest GDP growth has highlighted the structural challenges Mexico faces, and the country’s sensitivity to external factors – such as slower growth in the US. Inflation has also impacted consumer purchasing power.

The money flow from the US is a major driver of financial inclusion in Mexico. It gives people access to formal financial services. Banco Azteca recognises the role the US dollar plays in the Mexican economy, especially through remittances, which reached a record $58bn in 2023. A strong dollar offers Mexicans financial stability and opportunities to save and invest.

Banco Azteca plays a crucial role in promoting greater income parity and universal access to financial services, fostering robust economic development. As a major recipient of remittances and a provider of low-entry barrier loans, especially in low-income sectors, Banco Azteca enables Mexicans to invest in education, housing, and entrepreneurial ventures. Its ‘phygital’ model and financial education strategy work hand in hand to drive economic development and financial inclusion, providing a transformative banking experience for all.