Southeast Asia’s health app explosion

 30-Sep-14, Techonomy

Millions of Southeast Asians today lack access to affordable, quality healthcare. As connected devices become increasingly ubiquitous in the region, however, many companies and NGOs are developing innovative eHealth apps to address the problem.

Southeast Asia’s healthcare systems today face an acute shortage of funding. Total public and private healthcare spending accounted for only 3.9% of Southeast Asia’s GDP in 2012 - lower than any other region in the world. While the average American and European drops thousands of dollars on healthcare each year, per capita spending in most Southeast Asian countries averages less than $250 annually.

Image: RingMD

As more people gain access to connected devices, however, entrepreneurs, companies, and organizations across the region see potential to speed improvements to healthcare delivery with new web and mobile applications. Some of these apps transform connected devices into portals for clinical care, allowing patients to communicate virtually with clinicians. These “telehealth” or “eVisit” apps can streamline or even automate the consultation process, saving time and costs.

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