Telehealth Use Grows Worldwide

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

Europe saw 4.7 million people use connected care solutions to monitor their health last year.

Telehealth services are being embraced across the all of Europe according to research revealing 4.7 million people used connected care to monitor their health. A report from Berg Insights indicates that number is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.2 percent and reach 13.7 million by 2019.

Mobi Health News reports remote visits and next generation telecare systems are on the rise across the 30 countries in the region.

“Today, the most common connected care solution is the traditional telecare alarm, which includes a wearable alarm button that the user presses in the case of an emergency,” explains the Berg report. “Next-generation telecare systems are technologically more advanced and can automatically trigger an alarm, for instance if the user leaves home at an unexpected time or forgets to take his or her medicine.

“Furthermore, next-generation telecare solutions include mobile telecare alarms that users can carry with them at all times. Telehealth solutions involve connected medical devices and monitoring services that are used for the remote management of patients with COPD, chronic heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, coronary heart disease or chronic kidney disease.”

“There is a strong need for solutions that enable social care and healthcare services to be delivered more cost-efficiently without compromising the quality of care”, said Lars Kurkinen, Senior Analyst, Berg Insight in a press release.

“Amid rising expenses, an aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the healthcare industry must change the way it operates,” said Roeen Roashan, medical devices and digital health analyst at IHS Technology. “Telehealth represents an attractive solution to these challenges, increasing the quality of care while reducing overall healthcare expenditures.”