Report: Remote health monitoring jumps 51 percent

The number of patients using remote health monitoring devices has doubled in 2015 to 4.9 million due to "rising market acceptance," according to a recent Berg Insights report.

That number incudes any patient who is part of an mHealth care program that uses medical devices; it does not include use of tools for personal health tracking.

The report also predicts the number of patients who are remotely monitored will grow annually by 48.9 percent and reach more than 36 million in the next five years.

Growth also will be prompted by increased use of personal mobile devices as "health hubs," with such tools being used for remote patient monitoring (RPM) of 15.2 million people by 2020. Revenues from RPM will hit 6.2 billion Euros this year, the report adds.

A growing number of organizations also are deploying such tools. A recent report from Spyglass Consulting Group found that more than half of hospitals and health systems are using RPM systems to achieve operational efficiencies, improve risk management and boost care quality and control costs.

However, there are barriers that can stymie such growth, the report's authors add. For RPM to truly grow, the industry needs to be more accepting of change, incentive structures must be realigned and wireless broadband must be financially supported.

When it comes to broadband connectivity, Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn has said it's a significant disruptor for the industry.

"Industries that ignore this risk becoming less relevant," she said during the Connected Health Conference last month.

To learn more:
- here's the report summary (.pdf)