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Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, has released the Asia Pacific (APAC) findings from its 10th annual Future Health Index (FHI) report, the largest global healthcare survey of its kind.
The report draws insights on key concerns from healthcare professionals and patients in 16 countries, including Australia, Indonesia, and South Korea.
Findings show that despite strong optimism about artificial intelligence's (AI) potential to ease pressure on APAC's healthcare systems, trust and implementation concerns persist.
"The need for AI has never been greater. Our survey shows that patients are anxiously waiting more than a month for specialist care, while some healthcare professionals are losing about four working weeks of clinical time a year due to incomplete patient data," said Jasper Westerink, Senior Vice President and Representative Director of Philips Japan and Acting Managing Director of Philips APAC. "There is a clear role for AI to help clinicians act faster, make better decisions, and anticipate patient needs earlier as we strive to deliver better care for more people."
A majority of healthcare professionals (81%) in APAC are involved in developing new technology at their organisations. However, 39% believe that the new technologies developed are not catered to their needs. Concerns around accountability persist, with 71% sharing concerns about the legal liability for AI usage, while 66% worry that potential data biases in AI applications could widen disparities in health outcomes.
"It's essential to foster trust of AI-powered technologies among healthcare professionals and patients," said Jasper. "This will enable widespread adoption and effective implementation. Industry-wide collaboration will help us address trust gaps to unlock AI's full potential, enabling responsible, inclusive integration across APAC's healthcare systems."
