A report by research firm MarketsandMarkets predicts the global wireless health market will grow to US$38.51 billion by 2016. “Though healthcare organisations have been slow to embrace wireless technology, more and more organisations are finding that they can save money and improve care with this technology…,” says the report. The report estimates that the global mhealth market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19.43 percent during the study period of 2011-16.  

The firm segments the health market on the basis of wireless technology, handheld devices and mobile applications across their deployment in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, as well as laboratories, homecare, telehealth and physicians. The US leads the global health market with an estimated 45 percent share in 2011. Rising costs and expectations have increased interested in mobile health. In addition the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and healthcare reform have boosted wireless health investment too. After the US, Europe is the second largest market. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region with China the largest individual market in it.