This Editor was interested in what the organizers of the annual Connected Health Summit, now taking place in San Diego, are seeing as the differences in the digital health and remote monitoring sector over the past year. This year, Parks Associates promoted it as “spotlight(ing) health technologies as part of the Internet of Things (IoT) phenomenon and the transformational impact of these connected solutions on the US healthcare system.” I’ve been reading Parks’ research since 2006, when telecare was riding quite high, but the marketplace between consumer and enterprise-focused tech, monitoring and analytics has exploded. I asked Stuart Sikes, President of Parks Associates, for toplines on the key differences in the market and the conference between last year and this. It’s shifting to implementation, how to streamline processes around data, making data useful….and still finding someone to pay for it.
What is different this year than 2015?
The primary difference this year is that we will be discussing case studies and implementation and engagement issues, shifting the focus from “what elements are needed to encourage engagement” to “how is implementation working.” In addition, the emphasis on the power of data to provide meaningful data that empowers both consumers and care providers will increase, as secure collection and management of data is a central theme to most of the solutions on the agenda.
Regarding the agenda, one difference this year will be presentations by emerging companies to members of the investment community, who will offer some feedback on the company concepts and approach.Do you see progress in adoption by physicians, healthcare organizations, consumers–and who is paying?There is progress across the board and this progress is, in large part, born of necessity. CMS reimbursement pressure is resulting in care providers increasing consumer awareness of ways they can impact care costs. Payers are implementing wellness tracking devices and consumers are responding. Physicians are moving slowly, but increasingly offering ways for consumers to interact outside of the office.
What does you believe will be the hottest topic, area or concern in 2017?
Providing consumer data, securely, to the appropriate people in a meaningful way will be a hot topic for 2017. The market continues to offer devices that collect consumer data and vitals, but streamlining the processes and parties involved in transforming data into meaningful and accessible information will be the next important step in the evolution of the industry.
Telehealth & Telecare Aware is a media supporter of the conference for the second year. The conference is Tweeting at #CONNHealth16 and @CONN_Health_Smt. Thanks to Holly Sprague for her coordination with Mr Sikes.
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