Deep Dive into the New HealthTech Wave: As Thais Age, Technology is Reborn Daily

In recent years, global HealthTech trends have advanced at a speed never seen before. Moving beyond the exclusive domain of top-tier laboratories and hospitals, medical technology has become intimate and personal—residing on the smartwatches on our wrists and within our individual health databases.

Global public health systems are shifting from hospital-centric treatment to decentralized care outside hospital walls. This is achieved through Telemedicine, health tracking sensors, and Home Care models that allow patients to recover in their own homes. Data from Deloitte indicates that over 70% of health organizations are investing in technology to migrate patient care out of traditional hospital settings.

Furthermore, a massive trend among the new generation is preventive health. Whether it is wearables that detect heart signals, apps that analyze sleep patterns, or personalized nutrition analysis systems, these technologies reflect a transition from reactive medicine (treating the sick) to predictive medicine that utilizes data and AI to prevent disease before it occurs.

This is the overview of a global mega-trend shaking up every dimension of the healthcare industry. We are witnessing a transition from a public health system to a "healthcare ecosystem" where technology is the heart of every care process.

Digital Health Market Surpasses $2 Trillion

The global Digital Health market is skyrocketing. From a value of $312.9 billion in 2024, it is projected to soar to $387.8 billion in 2025. Remarkably, forecasts suggest it will exceed $2.19 trillion by 2030, with an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22-25%.

This massive growth stems not from building more hospitals, but from using technology to revolutionize the very foundation of how we think about health:

• AI Revolutionizing Diagnostics: Moving beyond reliance solely on human experience, AI can now analyze medical images like X-rays or MRIs with greater precision than the human eye. It aids in early-stage cancer detection and predicts patient outcomes to plan the best course of treatment.
• Telemedicine to Virtual Hospitals: Remote treatment, once a backup option during COVID-19, has evolved into full-service Virtual Hospitals. For example, the SEHA Virtual Hospital in Saudi Arabia connects over 130 health centers, caring for 400,000 patients annually. Meanwhile, the UK’s NHS is preparing to launch an Online Hospital to cope with an aging society and staff shortages.
• Wearable Devices and IoT: Wearables like smartwatches or smart rings are no longer just step counters. They track heart rate and sleep quality, sending critical data to doctors in real-time. This enables home-based management of chronic diseases and allows doctors to monitor abnormalities 24/7.
• Precision Medicine: This shifts away from "one size fits all" medication to treatments designed specifically for you. Through genetic data analysis, doctors can select drugs that respond best to an individual patient's body, reducing side effects and increasing efficacy.

New HealthTech Innovations Seen This Year

To say that health technology is being reborn every day is no exaggeration. In just the past few years, we have seen medical tech surpass human limitations in several areas, from AI drug discovery to robots capable of micrometer-level precision surgery:

1. VIZZ— Smart Eye Drops for Presbyopia: The FDA recently approved VIZZ, a new generation of eye drops designed to treat age-related long-sightedness (presbyopia), common in those over 45. The drops allow users to focus on close objects without glasses. Used once a day, the effects last up to 10 hours—a major breakthrough for the global aging market.
2. Histotripsy— Sound Wave Cancer Treatment (No Surgery): Originating from a lab accident in the early 2000s, University of Michigan researcher Zhen Xu discovered that high-intensity, rapid-pulse ultrasound could destroy tissue without heat. This developed into Histotripsy, a technique that uses the mechanical force of sound waves to create microbubbles inside a tumor. These bubbles expand and collapse in milliseconds, liquefying cancer cells. The UK has approved this technology for NHS use under the Innovative Devices Access Pathway, marking a new era of Non-Invasive Medicine.
3. Yomi Robot— Dental Implants with Micrometer Precision: Neocis, a Florida-based medical robotics startup, created Yomi, the world’s first FDA-certified dental surgery robot. Yomi uses AI combined with 3D imaging to plan implant placement with extreme precision. It features haptic sensors that lock the instrument's movement, preventing deviation. The result is faster surgery, less pain, quicker recovery, and minimal need for strong painkillers.
4. Yeztugo (Lenacapavir)— Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection: On June 18, 2024, the FDA approved Lenacapavir (trade name Yeztugo), the world's first HIV prevention injection administered only twice a year (every 6 months). Unlike traditional PrEP which requires daily intake and often faces adherence issues, Yeztugo significantly reduces this burden. Gilead's trials showed it reduced infection risk by 96% in women and 100% in men and LGBTQ+ groups. This is a monumental step, shifting healthcare from taking pills for treatment to injections for true prevention.

Thailand’s Opportunity in HealthTech

Thailand stands at a critical turning point in its demographic and economic structure. Transitioning from a country driven by a working-age workforce, it is entering a full-fledged Super-Aged Society.

Reports from Thammasat University indicate that Thailand is becoming a completely aged society, with the elderly population constituting 20-30% of the country. This means 1 in every 5 people in Thailand is elderly. However, they are becoming a new economic force, known globally as the Silver Economy.

Modern seniors do not just want disease treatment; they want quality of life and value. This group is increasingly turning to technology—health-tracking smartwatches, online doctor appointments, and Preventive HealthTech.

Krungsri Research estimates that Thailand's Silver Economy could be worth trillions of baht over the next decade, specifically in health, food, and elderly care technology. HealthTech is the heart of this new system.

Additionally, Thailand holds high potential regarding its public health system, leading private hospitals, and treatment costs that are several times lower than in Europe or the US, positioning the country as a regional medical and wellness hub.

The Thai government has not stood still, laying out the National Digital Health Strategy of Thailand (2021–2025) to push the Thai health system into the digital era. This includes creating a central health database, connecting hospital data, and pushing AI and Telemedicine access to citizens in every province.

All this reflects that while Thailand is getting older, technology is getting younger every day. As the wave of the elderly population hits full force, HealthTech may be the key answer to building a new economy where health is not a cost, but a major growth opportunity for the nation.

Singapore and Global HealthTech Lessons

When discussing the most systematic driver of HealthTech in Asia, 'Singapore' is the first name that comes to mind. There, health technology is not viewed merely as a tool for doctors, but as a "National Strategy" to elevate the quality of life for the entire population.

The Singaporean government launched the Singapore National Precision Medicine (NPM) program, aiming to collect genetic data from over 1 million citizens. This data is used to develop Precision Medicine that tailors treatment to the individual body.

This information connects with health databases, lifestyle behaviors, and environmental data, analyzed by AI and Machine Learning to predict disease risks—such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease—before symptoms even appear.

Interestingly, Singapore utilizes a Population Health concept, viewing health holistically across society rather than just treating individual patients. They invest in Smart Hospitals that connect patient data in real-time, reducing the workload of medical staff and shortening treatment times. All of this is achieved while spending only roughly 4% of GDP on public health, yet managing it with maximum efficiency.

This concept of proactive healthcare at the population level starts with prevention rather than treating when it's too late.

Singapore does not have vast natural resources, yet it built a robust digital health system through long-term planning and standardized data usage. This is a point Thailand can learn from directly, as we already possess a digital health strategy and national health infrastructure—we simply need to connect them and utilize them to create real value, just as Singapore has succeeded in doing.

From global trends to Thailand's opportunities and lessons from Singapore, one thing is clear: 'Health' is becoming a new global economy driven by technology and data. It is no longer just about treating the sick, but extending the Healthspan—the period of life spent in good health.

And in 2026, Techsauce is preparing to drive this concept forward through the Techsauce Healthspan Festival 2026, a festival for building a healthy future and a stage for comprehensive health innovation.

This is not just a health technology event, but the starting point for co-designing a healthy future where Thailand plays a significant role. Even as our country ages, in the world of HealthTech, Thailand is being 'reborn'.