Much of the technology on which today’s wireless ehealth products and services are based was in place a decade ago. However, during the past 10 years healthcare providers have channelled IT spending into the development of core infrastructure rather than purchase devices and service for deployment at the edge of care networks. In the UK the NHS, the state run healthcare provider, embarked on a major IT project aimed at building a ‘spine’ onto which emerging ehealth services could be attached at a later date. Other healthcare providers around the world have been working on similar projects which, like the NHS’ ‘Connecting for Health’, focused on the building of a comprehensive electronic patient record. While these large projects put ehealth on hold they were needed to create the platforms onto which wireless based medical devices could be deployed.
Now we are beginning to see some core healthcare IT infrastructure applications rolled out and once again attention is turning towards devices and services that can lower the cost of care and increase efficiency at the edge of healthcare networks. However, we are also seeing the emergence of alternatives to the incumbent healthcare provider’s electronic patient record systems. Large IT vendors such as Google and Microsoft are developing hosted electronic patient record systems that leverage the position health based search has gained in the market for online services. While Health 2.0, of which hosted patient records is a key component, is still poorly defined it does challenge the business model of the incumbent healthcare provider. Just as health based search impacted on the relationship between the patient and the GP, so Health 2.0 has the potential to change the way the patient manages their relationship with hospital staff. Some wireless healthcare device developers have been quick to pick up on this trend and are already seeking ways for their products to exploit Health 2.0 based services.
We are also seeing consumer electronics companies taking a keener interest in the wireless healthcare market. Vendors are coming to regard the healthcare market, which in part is supported by public rather than consumer spending, as a safe haven as their traditional markets come under pressure due to adverse economic conditions.
At the same time an economic downturn may impact on the patient’s ability to pay for advanced services, and in some cases preventative healthcare could start to be regarded as a luxury that healthcare providers cannot afford. As we suggested in our Wireless Healthcare 2004 report, a key market driver - an ageing population - may also be tested if the savings of senior citizens are adversely effected by a prolonged period of financial turmoil. Conversely, a prolonged economic downturn will force healthcare providers to implement the type of IT services that have reduced the cost base and increased the efficiency of organisations in other sectors of the economy - such as retailing and financial services.
In this report we examine the key issues facing healthcare providers and IT vendors who are planning to deploy the next generation of wireless and online healthcare services, and some of the companies who are already active in the wireless healthcare market.
Please note - if you purchase Wireless Healthcare 2008, you will also receive the 2004 version. The online delivery will be delivered as a zip file.
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