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Digital Health - What it means

Digital health pursues efficiency in the healthcare system to provide appropriate high-quality care to a growing global population

Digital Health is a term used to describe the set of new solutions for the healthcare sector arising from the convergence of technology and medicine. It is a broad, multidisciplinary concept that includes many categories, from the Internet of Things to conventional connectivity solutions, and other newer ones such as robotics in surgery, telemedicine and blood glucose monitoring. 

It offers a range of services that enable customers to manage chronic disease and obtain early diagnosis.

  • 12%

    Health industry contribution to world GDP in 2022
    Source: Bellevue AM, March 2023

     

  • USD 1.3bn

    Estimated size of healthcare digitalisation business by 2030
    Source: Market Research Future (MRFR)

     

  • 23.7%

    Compound annual growth rate

Why now?

Lifestyle changes

In the Diabetes Atlas 2021, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that there are 537 million adults with diabetes worldwide.

World population with diabetes

Demographics

According to the World Bank, 9.54% of the world's population were aged 65 and over in 2021. 

Percentage of the world's population aged over 65

Other key factors that are influencing the expansion of the digital medical sector are the increasing adoption of smartphones, improved Internet connectivity thanks to the deployment of 4G/5G, advances in healthcare IT infrastructure, the growing need to control healthcare costs, and the development of technology for the medical sector.

Improving the efficiency of the healthcare sector

Telemedicine

This system allows remote consultations, which saves time, costs and travel for both physicians and patients. 

Apps

Health-focused mobile applications improve lifestyle habits and facilitate disease management.

Electronic medical records

Digitalising medical records enables the information to be centralised.

Wearables

Smart accessories, such as activity wristbands, glasses and even clothing, are already capable of monitoring physiological variables.

Augmented reality

This technology makes it possible to view organs in 3D, view the patient's test results in real time and plan surgery. It is also used in training healthcare professionals.

Big data and artificial intelligence

Both technologies are used to process the immense amount of data produced by the healthcare sector in order to detect risk factors and perform predictive analysis.

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