Global market for telehealth tech on upswing

Remote patient monitoring, or telehealth, has taken huge strides forward, with demand for this technology on the rise – especially among home-care agencies, disease management companies and clinical trial groups, according to a new report from market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

The advent of low-energy Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), secure data management and wireless sensor platforms together are driving a change in how healthcare is delivered – from a hospital-centric to a patient-centric approach, the report notes. Participation from market giants, such as GE, Google, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Philips, Qualcomm, Siemens and Wal-Mart, has enabled development of remote monitoring products that effectively interface IT and life science technologies. Frost & Sullivan’s analysis, Remote Patient Monitoring Technologies – A Strategic Assessment, finds that with the escalating need to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), asthma, liver diseases and congestive heart failure, especially in the elderly population, the demand for wireless monitoring has increased significantly over the past few years.