The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped Hong Kong in significant ways, and one of the key shifts is in the more widespread adoption of technology. From e-commerce and LeaveHomeSafe, to online food delivery and video conferencing, Hong Kong people of all ages and walks of life are accustomed to living and interacting digitally in the new normal. With the growing expectations on convenience and tailored service from patients, and the overall market trend towards healthy lifestyle and preventative care, there is increasing need to better leverage data and technology innovations to deliver healthcare services.
While organisations have accomplished a lot through enabling digital touchpoints, there are more and more opportunities to engage patients in whole new ways beyond just putting some services online. From leveraging ecosystems partners to serve patients across their daily journey, to collecting lifestyle and behavioural data for better care and personalization, to exposing core capabilities and data to partners "as a service", Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, are no longer just a technical concern, but a foundational enabler of whole new business models.
The rollout of Open Banking APIs are well under way, with Open Insurance soon to follow, and the Open API model is already being adopted by other ecosystem players such as loyalty programs and startups to transform end to end customer experience. Now is a great time for the healthcare industry to jump in and be active collaborators in the ecosystem, and reimagine the patient experience in the context of a platform for healthy lifestyle.
