Should healthcare adopt Uber, Facebook, Alibaba and Airbnb business models?

The nine years younger me wrote about the disruptive potential of platform-based business models like Uber, Facebook, and Airbnb—and what they could mean for healthcare.

Back then, I posed questions that felt radical:
- Could we have emergency medical services without ambulances?
- Pharmaceutical companies without R&D departments?
- Pharmacies without inventory?
- Hospitals without physical infrastructure?

Since then, innovation has shown remarkable progress. Technologies like telehealth, drone ambulances, and AI diagnostics have proven the viability of new models. The "Uberization" of healthcare logistics has streamlined services, and virtual-first care is now a mainstay.

However, the core limitations I identified—like the need for local infrastructure, reserve capacities, and asymmetry in decision-making—remain critical challenges.

What stands out to me, looking back, is how the most successful models haven’t blindly copied tech giants. Instead, they’ve adapted lessons to meet healthcare’s unique needs, often blending digital innovation with physical presence.

So, here’s my question for today:
Will we see even greater platformisation, or is the future in hybrid models that balance scalability with reliability?