How digital health can promote dignity in ageing

Juhee Cho is a leading behavioural scientist and clinical epidemiologist who believes in the transformative power of digital health. “Digital science means that we can now find more precise reasons for the cause of disease, and methods for curing disease,” says Cho, who is chair of the Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation at the Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology at Sungkyunkwan University.

Cho believes that technology in healthcare has become “ambient, like air”, leading to dramatic transformations in how we deal with ageing and illness.

The Asia-Pacific region is at the forefront of innovation in digital healthcare but also faces a number of demographic challenges. According to UN data, Hong Kong is on track to become one of the world’s most aged populations, with over 40 per cent of residents projected to be aged 65 or older by 2050, placing it alongside other rapidly aging societies like Japan and South Korea. At the same time, there is a growing shortage of healthcare providers, so this rapid demographic shift could place a significant burden on the region’s healthcare systems. 

Cho argues that digital healthcare can support a shift from hospital-centric care to more proactive, home-based health management. “Digital health allows us to make the home a place of care, where individuals can live as they wish, from meeting friends to simply enjoying meals,” she explains. One of her research focuses is psycho-oncology, which addresses the psychological, social and behavioural aspects of cancer and looks at how improving emotional well-being can support treatment. She is also a proponent of home-based care and the role of nutrition in well-being. 

Real-time monitoring, for example through wearable devices, can play a crucial role in supporting patients’ health. The data they produce helps health workers manage symptoms and predict risks, generating a network of caregivers for people who may be living alone. It can also ensure timely interventions and help to prevent serious problems such as falls. But technology alone is not enough – governments must work together on policy and solutions. Cho’s hope is for governments to redirect healthcare budgets to accommodate more digital health solutions and for health reimbursement policies to evolve and support innovation in this area.

“If we can change health reimbursement policies, technologies like ambient sensors can be classified as medical devices and then integrated into care systems. Once policy and implementation align, industry will follow,” she says. 

The CityUHK campus recently hosted the 2025 THE Digital Health Asia event, the first time the Digital Health series has been held in Asia. Cho hopes that the event will facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-cultural exchange on this universal issue. 

“No single country has all the answers, so global collaboration is essential,” she says. “I hope this meeting will help ensure digital health innovation not only reaches high-tech urban centres but also underserved communities so we can transform ageing through innovation.” 

Find out more about Digital Health Asia 2025.