One in five APAC doctors eye exit as healthcare demand outpaces workforce

Bain found excessive workload and lack of recognition are driving attrition risk.

Healthcare systems in Asia-Pacific are facing mounting strain as demand for care rises faster than workforce capacity, with one in five doctors actively considering leaving their current employer.

Excessive workload was cited by 49% of doctors considering a move, followed by lack of recognition at 47%, and burnout at 36%, according to Bain & Company’s 2026 Asia-Pacific Front Line of Healthcare Report.

Consumer expectations continue to rise across the region with Bain reporting that 84% of consumers expect greater convenience from healthcare systems, whilst 71% expect doctors to be more responsive through channels such as phone, WhatsApp, or email.

Around 60% of consumers now schedule regular checkups and screenings, up from 47% in 2023, the report also found.

Bain said the findings reflect a widening imbalance between rising demand for healthcare services and constrained workforce capacity across Asia-Pacific.

The region accounts for around 60% of the global population but about 22% of global healthcare spending. Emerging Asia-Pacific markets average around 1.6 doctors per 1,000 people, below the World Health Organisation benchmark of 2.5.

Long wait times remain the most commonly cited patient pain point, alongside difficulties securing appointments, high costs, administrative complexity, and communication gaps.

Operational pressure on clinicians is also reflected in daily workflow constraints. 

Around one-third of doctors reported significant inefficiencies in their work, whilst about 40% said they perform repetitive administrative tasks that could be automated or streamlined.

Bain also found that care delivery is increasingly shifting beyond traditional hospital settings.

The report noted that 57% of consumers received care in at least one alternative setting, including telehealth, walk-in clinics, home-based care, and ambulatory surgical centres.

Fragmentation in care pathways remains a recurring issue.

Half of respondents reported being referred to multiple providers before receiving a correct diagnosis or treatment, whilst more than 40% experienced inconsistent clinical advice.

Nearly all consumers at 95% said they prefer a single touchpoint to manage their healthcare, up from 70% in 2019.

Artificial intelligence adoption is rising across the region, with nearly three in four consumers reporting comfort with at least one AI-enabled healthcare application.

Doctors identified reducing administrative burden as a key potential benefit of AI adoption.

Around one-third of doctors said their organisations are not yet prepared to deploy AI at scale, citing unclear strategy, limited training, and insufficient clinician involvement.

“The challenge now is not simply expanding access, but fundamentally redesigning how care is coordinated, delivered and experienced,” said Vikram Kapur, head of Bain & Company’s Global Healthcare & Life Sciences practice.

The Bain report surveyed 6,300 consumers across nine Asia-Pacific markets and 600 doctors in Australia and the Philippines.