Asia is a region where people have better access to a smart phone than to a doctor. The demand for high quality healthcare products and services will continue to rise as the middle-income group grow and age or as lifestyles change. In eight out of ten Southeast Asian countries, more than a third of healthcare expenses are paid out-of-pocket by individuals. Cloud-based platforms, emerging technologies, and modern data centers are breaking down barriers in terms of access, cost, and computing power, allowing data-driven health research to reach a new frontier.

This report looks at how digital innovation – specifically in the key pillars of delivery, financing, and discovery – has the potential to bridge the widening healthcare coverage gap in the region. It examined the fast-evolving healthcare industry in the context of increasing digital adoption in Asia Pacific, where healthcare is set to become a US$2.2 trillion market by 2026.

Today, innovative digital solutions are creating new ways for patients in Asia to access and pay for the care they need. Public and private healthcare organizations are delivering advanced healthcare solutions through mobile devices in Southeast Asia, tapping on the region’s high mobile penetration. Fintech and its applications are tackling the high costs of healthcare with mobile health wallet apps, low-to-no interest lending services, and healthcare-focused crowdfunding platforms.