Mobile carriers to open new market opportunities in healthcare with wireless technologies

The U.S. market for wireless home-based healthcare applications and services will grow at a five-year cumulative annual growth rate of over 80% and become a $4.4 billion industry in 2013, according to Wireless Healthcare: Analysis & Forecasts.

The report from international research firm Parks Associates predicts the push for healthcare reform from the Obama Administration will ultimately boost adoption of wireless technologies in healthcare. The Federal Government is committed to promoting technology that improves healthcare efficiency, evident in the stimulus funds already allocated to electronic medical records (EMR) adoption, and this focus will open new long-term opportunities for wireless providers.

Parks Associates finds wireless technologies can benefit home care in areas such as chronic care management, medical diagnostic device monitoring, wellness and fitness applications, medication management, and senior independent living solutions.

The report suggests that mobile carriers will leverage their network resources to target vertical markets like healthcare through both wholesale and retail partnerships. Deals such as recent agreements from Verizon Wireless with LifeWatch and Qualcomm will become more commonplace as this market moves into wider availability.

Wireless Healthcare: Analysis and Forecasts analyzes how mobile and wireless networking technologies can transform personal health applications and highlights market opportunities for businesses in the global mobile healthcare market.