Doctor Anywhere, a regional tech-led healthcare company headquartered in Singapore, announced Wednesday that it has acquired Catalist-listed Asian Healthcare Specialists, an integrated healthcare provider in Singapore.

In a statement, Doctor Anywhere said the acquisition is a strategic step to further the company’s long-term growth ambitions, enabling it to deliver more holistic healthcare and meet the rising demand for complex, specialized treatment across Southeast Asia.

Asian Healthcare Specialists is a group of 14 medical specialists, with a patient-first approach and vision to make specialized care accessible to all.

Its 12 specialist clinics across multidisciplinary specialities comprise orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dermatology, urology, gastroenterology, otorhinolaryngology, anaesthesia, family medicine and rehabilitation – all areas that complement Doctor Anywhere’s regional healthcare services and offer consumers greater access to complex treatments.

“Our goal at Doctor Anywhere is to build a digital healthcare ecosystem to enable better patient outcomes and help shape the future of healthcare in Southeast Asia,” said Lim Wai Mun, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Doctor Anywhere.

With consumers across the region seeking higher quality and more personalised care, he said the acquisition of Asian Healthcare Specialists strengthens the firm’s capabilities beyond its successful primary care services, enabling it to deliver more integrated, holistic care and greater value for its users.

He said the firm continues to be on the lookout for synergistic opportunities and targeted acquisitions of critical healthcare assets across the region, which will enable the firm to further the work it has begun on building a regional healthcare ecosystem that leverages technology and innovation.

“A more diversified and holistic range of integrated healthcare service offerings will enable Doctor Anywhere to deliver greater value and impact to elevate the region’s healthcare outcomes,” he added.

Asian Healthcare Specialists Limited Chief Executive Officer of Dr Chin Pak Lin said coupled with shifting demographics, technological innovations, and the diverse nature of healthcare infrastructure across Southeast Asia, the firm is currently sitting at the nexus of potential transformation.

“We are excited to join Southeast Asia’s largest omni- channel healthcare provider and bring our well-established specialist care expertise to the group,

“We look forward to working together to bridge the gap between primary and specialised care to provide seamless, holistic care that transcends boundaries and statuses,” he added.

Doctor Anywhere also announced a $38.8 million Series C1 financing round, an up round led by Novo Holdings, a Denmark-based international life science investor.

Other existing shareholders also participated in the round, including Asia Partners, Kamet Capital, Square Peg, IHH Healthcare, EDBI and OSK-SBI Venture Partners.

According to the statement, the funding will be used to accelerate growth and to partly fund the acquisition of Asian Healthcare Specialists.

It comes just over a year after the company raised a $65.7 million Series C in August 2021 in one of the largest private funding rounds ever raised by a healthtech company in Southeast Asia.

This brings the total capital raised by Doctor Anywhere to nearly $140 million.

“Doctor Anywhere has shown an exceptional track record since its inception, and today it has firmly established itself as a regional leader in healthcare, successfully integrating seamless online and offline approaches to bring easily accessible and affordable healthcare to millions across Southeast Asia,” said Dr Amit Kakar, Senior Partner, Head of Novo Holdings Equity Asia.

“We are confident in Doctor Anywhere’s growth as it builds a regional ecosystem to bring delivery of patient care to the next level, in line with its vision to become the leading tech-enabled omnichannel healthcare provider in Southeast Asia,” he added.

Carol Wang, Senior Associate at Novo Holdings Equity Asia, added: “We are particularly excited to lead this up round to fund the accretive acquisition of Asian Healthcare Specialists.”

“With the addition of the synergistic specialist clinics, we believe that Doctor Anywhere would further enhance patient journeys seamlessly through its fully integrated online and offline offerings and would further differentiate itself as a leading omnichannel healthcare provider in Southeast Asia, enabled by its innovative technologies,

“We look forward to continuing to back DA’s long-term vision, which is perfectly aligned with our deep expertise and commitment in tech-enabled healthcare services,” she added.

Doctor Anywhere is a regional tech-enabled, omnichannel healthcare company, on a mission to make healthcare simple, accessible, and efficient for everyone.

The firm’s digital platform bridges gaps in the healthcare ecosystem through technology and innovation, enabling users to manage their health easily and effectively through the Doctor Anywhere mobile app.

Headquartered in Singapore and with a presence in six countries across the region, Doctor Anywhere now serves more than 2.5 million (and growing) users across Southeast Asia.

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