Seminar Overview
The Asian Federation of Rehabilitation & Preventive Medicine (AFRPM, ARP) professional seminar, “AI Design Thinking for Healthcare Innovation,” held on 28 February 2026, successfully brought together professionals from healthcare services, health-related industries, and charitable organizations. The Founder and Managing Partner, Mr. David Chung, was invited to conduct the seminar.
Over the course of a two‑hour interactive session, participants explored how an AI‑Empowered Design Thinking method can be systematically applied to improve healthcare service processes, enhance patient participation and generate innovative solutions that balance economic impact with social value.
From Design Thinking 1.0 to AI‑Centred Design 3.0
He presented the evolution of Design Thinking from 1.0 to 3.0, highlighting how traditional human‑centred design has evolved into AI‑Empowered Design Thinking (DT 3.0) [Details]. He explained that AI Design Thinking Agents (www.DesignThinkers.AI) are a key execution engine for Design Thinking 3.0, enabling the 6D model – Determine, Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver, and Drive.
By embedding AI agents into each of these stages, organizations can create solutions that are not only more scalable and data‑driven but also more precise and impactful for the healthcare sector. He illustrated how 10 AI Agents — selected from a powerful library of 150+ agents (www.DesignThinking.Tools) — can systematically move through the 6D model.
AI Design Thinking in Practice and Time Savings
Throughout the session, he shared a case in which an AI Design Thinking approach drove community development in just one week, compared with a similar‑scale project in 2022 that required several weeks. By leveraging AI‑supported research, ideation, and validation, the team achieved a time‑and‑effort savings of more than 95%.
In addition, he introduced global trends and practical examples of how design thinking is currently being applied in the healthcare sector, demonstrating how organizations can move from ad‑hoc experiments to structured, AI‑enabled innovation programmes.
Transformation Journey of Tan Tock Seng Hospital
A key highlight was Mr. Chung’s deep dive into the transformation journey of Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore from 2016 to 2026, structured into three phases: Phase 1 – Developing Patient‑Friendly Floor Plans, to improve wayfinding and comfort; Phase 2 – Developing Self‑Help and Automation Systems, to streamline operations and empower patients; and Phase 3 – Strategic Innovation Programme: Ward without Walls (WoW), which reimagines care delivery beyond traditional ward boundaries. This long‑term journey showcased how a clear innovation roadmap, supported by design thinking, can progressively transform both patient experience and operational efficiency.
Comparing MRI Experience Transformation in the US and Hong Kong
Mr. Chung shared design thinking cases that enhanced the patient experience with MRI diagnostics, focusing on reducing anxiety, improving communication and building trust. He then used this case to compare the pace and pattern of healthcare transformation in the United States and Hong Kong. While the US has generally moved faster in redesigning patient journeys and scaling innovative models, he noted that Hong Kong holds strong potential to catch up by applying similar human‑centred, AI‑enabled design approaches in its healthcare system.
Panel Discussion: Innovation in a Highly Regulated Sector
In the final part of the seminar, Mr. Chung and Mr. Ray Lee, Chairman of AFRPM, led a brief panel and group discussion on innovation in highly regulated industries, with a focus on healthcare, a regulatory‑driven sector where patient safety, ethics, and compliance are paramount.
The discussion underscored the importance of designing innovation frameworks that respect strict regulatory requirements while still enabling meaningful, patient‑centred change—highlighting that responsible and regulation‑aware innovation is essential for the future of healthcare.
Event Poster:
