Why Health Technology Investment Shouldn’t Wait

BusinessWhy Health Technology Investment Shouldn’t WaitByDr. Beh Chun Chuan,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramMay 18, 2026, 02:16pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The next wave of innovations, from AI to wearables and real-time diagnostics, is already reshaping healthcare.gettyWhen I first began working in the healthcare industry in the late 1970s, health technology was nowhere near what it is today. Many processes were done manually, making them time-consuming, inefficient, prone to errors, and, in some cases, dangerous. For example, we used to test thyroid function using radioactive assays with no gloves (the dangers of radiation weren’t yet known). These tests were so time-consuming that we could only do a limited number per day. But as my business grew, so did patient volume, and I had to find ways to keep up.Fortunately, the late 1970s were an exciting time for developments in healthcare technology. There were a lot of multinational medical equipment suppliers coming up with new tools, so I was able to jump on the bandwagon and ride with them. My patients benefited from the new technologies—and my business grew as a result, as I was able to scale up while maintaining customer satisfaction. The lesson I’ve learned over fifty years in healthcare: the leaders who invest in new technology before they need it are the ones who get ahead when everyone else is trying to catch up.Early Adoption Is Rarely the Popular ChoiceIf you’re among the first to implement a new technology, don’t expect people to agree with you. When our healthcare business moved to cloud computing in 2011, we were initially met with skepticism. Now, it’s the norm. Similarly, we were also one of the first healthcare providers in Malaysia to introduce an online system where patients could log i...