Hospitals redesign care as patients turn to health apps

Seven in eight adults look up health information before seeing a doctor.

Hospitals across Asia are redesigning care delivery as more patients research symptoms and treatments before seeing a doctor, shifting how and when care begins.

About seven in eight adults in the region now look up health information in advance, whilst 41% use the internet to guide decisions, according to a February report by AIA Group Ltd.

“We are moving away from traditional access models and investing heavily in a ‘digital front door,’” Huma Naz, director of outpatient services and patient access at Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan, told Healthcare Asia.

This includes intuitive mobile apps, seamless online booking, and helpful artificial intelligence (AI) assistants that guide people smoothly through the system, she said.

Hospitals are combining virtual and in-person services as part of hybrid care models to improve access without losing clinical oversight.

“By offering hybrid models, blending the convenience of virtual check-ins with the vital human touch of in-person visits, we are giving patients flexibility without ever compromising clinical oversight,” Naz said.

Providers are also starting to use patient-generated data, including information from wearable devices, to support more preventive care. “This allows us to shift our focus toward highly personalised, preventive care.”

Access to reliable information remains uneven. An October 2025 survey by Ipsos Group S.A. found that 46% of respondents struggled to find trustworthy health information, whilst 52% said they had postponed or altered care due to insufficient guidance.

“As patients seek medical advice and information online, the industry has an opportunity to proactively share  the latest information via regulated digital platforms,” said Peter Liddell, life sciences sector leader for Asia-Pacific at KPMG Singapore.

He added that this helps guide patients to the most relevant healthcare professionals, ensuring they see the right doctor first time.

Hospitals are redesigning how patients enter the system through clearer care pathways and stronger digital touchpoints.

“Leading hospitals are responding by rethinking the ‘front door’ to care—using digital touchpoints, clearer care pathways, and more transparent information to meet patients where they are,” Liddell told Healthcare Asia.

“This is not about replacing clinicians, but about augmenting clinical care with better-informed patients and more efficient care navigation,” he added.

In Southeast Asia, the shift is already visible in patient behaviour. Ma Lourdes Rosita Orenza Jr., general manager at Chong Hua Medical Mall in Cebu City in central Philippines, said providers should boost digital engagement whilst maintaining access to care.

“Hospitals and ambulatory care facilities must strengthen digital engagement, enhance patient education, and integrate accessible services such as preventive health programs, diagnostics, and other treatment services,” she told Healthcare Asia.

Survey data suggests patients are open to deeper digital integration. Ipsos said 53% would use telemedicine if reliable, whilst 47% value doctor-provided symptom checkers and 42% are influenced by curated health information.

Hospitals are expected to operate in a more continuous care model, where engagement starts before diagnosis and extends beyond treatment, reshaping how services are delivered.