Health on Demand in Asia

This article was first published on July 29, 2020.

Technology has disrupted and transformed all aspects of modern life: how we learn, shop, travel — even how we meet new people or stay connected with family. We have come to expect virtual interactions and transactions at our fingertips, on demand, whenever and wherever. So, what about health care, an area of our lives so profoundly important to our existence and whether we merely survive or genuinely thrive? A health care system shaped by the digital age holds great promise in solving some of our most important health care challenges – access, quality and affordability. This is especially relevant as we transition into a new normal of health care provision and consumption due to COVID-19, where traditional health care models are being disrupted at an accelerated pace.

Health on Demand is one of the most comprehensive studies jointly conducted by Mercer Marsh Benefits (MMB), Mercer, and Oliver Wyman to understand the values, needs, desires, and trepidations of employees and employers – when it comes to the future of health, in general, and the role of digital health in particular. It covers over 16,000 employees and 1,300 senior decision-makers across 13 countries, with over 1,000 respondents from Singapore.

The signs suggest that digital health has become ‘mainstream’ in Singapore and the consumer supports for this to be our new normal. The landscape will no longer be just a playing field for start-ups and innovators, but more of a hybrid with incubments participating too, as digital health becomes part of the fabric of Singapore’s health system

Kitty Lee, Partner - Head of Health & Life Science, Asia Pacific

The study identified six key findings for Singapore:

Strong business case for digital health –91% of senior decision-makers believe investment in health and well-being will be the same or higher priority than previous years in the future
Respondents value patient-centred solutions – 70% place high / extreme importance on how well healthcare professionals understand and treat their healthcare needs
Low barriers to adoption of digital health solutions – 61% of respondents believe that the government should provide digital health solutions (compared to the Asia average of 48%)
Four different consumer segments present different opportunities for engagement – ‘Sign Me Up’ (49%), ‘Impress Me’ (16%), ‘Get Me Comfortable’ (33%) and ‘Not For Me” (2%)
High demand for pro-health culture, with ~50% of employees and senior decision-makers seeing a need for more favourable work environments for health
Nuances across countries – for example, Singaporeans more cautious about employer-offered digital solutions compared to other surveyed Asian countries

As employers chart their digital health journey – these learnings can help shape and improve the health care options provided to employees and provide a clear advantage in attracting and retaining best talent moving forward.

Note: this survey was conducted in 2019 and reflects the pre-pandemic view of digital health.

View the Singapore, US and Global Report Findings

About the Singapore Report

Our "Health on Demand" Singapore Report (in collaboration with Mercer Marsh Benefits and Mercer) explores survey findings from more than 1,000 employees and senior decision-makers in Singapore on attitudes towards digital health solutions.

About the US Report

Our "Health on Demand" US Report (in collaboration with Mercer Marsh Benefits and Mercer) explores survey findings from more than 2,000 US workers and 100 US senior decision-makers on attitudes towards digital health solutions in the workplace.

About the Global Report

Our "Health on Demand" Global Report (in collaboration with Mercer Marsh Benefits and Mercer) surveyed more than 16,500 workers and 1,300 senior decision-makers in seven mature and six growth markets across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. We spoke with full-time and part-time workers, freelancers, and gig workers, as well as senior decision-makers, half of whom work in companies with more than 500 workers globally. Learn more here.