Home health technologies–which provide a means for patient care at home–is expected to increase from 14.3 million worldwide in 2014 to 78.5 million by 2020. It’s no surprise, with the emergence of telehealth and mhealth, doctors and patients alike are realizing the benefits of providing at-home care.
Home healthcare is a way to improve not only patient outcomes, but also the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall healthcare system. This surge in health technology is propelled by the growing use of patient monitoring of medical conditions–you may already have an app on your phone to track fitness, and wearable technology is becoming more widespread everyday.
Tractica, the company who completed the report, predicts that medical monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment will drive the majority of new software applications and healthcare devices, along with remote consultions, eldercare, and health and wellness.
Convenience isn’t the only factor supporting the increase of home health technologies–savings in healthcare costs make it an attractive option, too. “Key factors driving interest in home healthcare technologies include rising healthcare costs, aging populations, and a rise in the number of people living with chronic diseases,” says Charul Vyas, principal analyst at Tractica.
It’s not yet a perfect solution. Vyas continues, “However, significant challenges remain for the industry to solve, including regulatory issues, data security and privacy, and technology interoperability and integration issues.”
The full report can be found here.
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