A GSMA-backed report predicts the growth of mobile health services globally will create a revenue opportunity of US$23 billion by 2017.  The largest potential beneficiaries are mobile operators, with a revenue stream of US$11.5 billion, followed by device vendors (US$6.6 billion), content and application providers (US$2.6 billion) and healthcare providers (US$2.4 billion). The figures are from new research conducted for the GSMA by PwC. The nature of the opportunity varies according to location: developed countries need to reduce the cost of their commitment to universal healthcare while mobile technology can enable remote communities in the developing world to better receive medical services.

The report says Europe could be the largest mobile health region by 2017 with revenues of US$6.9 billion followed by Asia Pacific (US$6.8 billion), North America (US$6.5 billion), Latin America (US$1.6 billion) and Africa (US$1.2 billion).  In terms of individual countries, the US could account for as much as one quarter of total mobile health spend in five years’ time, with US$5.9 billion. Revenues in China and Japan could reach US$2.5 billion and US$1.4 billion respectively, says PwC.

However the report says governments, regulators and healthcare providers need to work with mobile operators and others such as device vendors and content/application providers to support the introduction and take-up of mobile health. Key areas are receiving government and regulatory support as well as acceptance in the healthcare industry and user adoption supported by medical professionals, says the report.

In terms of services, using mobile technology to monitor patients with chronic diseases will account for nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the entire market (US$15 billion), a significant figure. The second-largest segment is diagnosis which includes patients accessing medical advices from call centres staffed by health professionals. This area will represent 15 percent (US$3.4 billion) of the total market.  Third-placed is treatment which includes SMS-based services that encourage patients to maintain their medication regimes. This type of service represents ten percent of the overall market (US$2.3 billion). PWC’s report is entitled “Touching Lives through Mobile Health: Assessment of the Global Market Opportunity”.