People will soon be able to view medical records or check a doctor's schedule over the Internet, and then get a reminder about appointments automatically sent to a mobile phone.
The innovations are part of plans by several companies to create online systems that link patients, doctors, healthcare facilities and other agencies in the same network.
Health Care International executive director Harris Ng said that as well as added convenience for patients, the systems would cut costs by automating administration and allowing bulk purchases of medical supplies.
'We want to build a virtual medical community that benefits everyone,' he said.
Mr Ng said it would take time to get many of the network's features operational, but he envisioned a seamless, pan-Asian network for health information. For now, he said, clinics using his company's service would be connected to a private network through which staff could instantly check a patient's medical history and insurance status.
The system also would cut the time it took for doctors to be paid by insurance companies from several months to a few weeks, Mr Ng said.