REPORT
Digital Health
Trends for
2020
Summary
1. Introduction and Overview
1. Big Data and Analytics
1. Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
1. IoMT (Internet of Medical Things)
1. Telemedicine
1. VR and AR in Healthcare
1. The Future of Digital Healthcare
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Images from Freepik
Introduction
3
Introduction
Technological innovations are accelerating disruption in consumer wellness and healthcare. Today’s
biggest trends in the healthcare industry are dominated by the concept of preventive and
personalized care, with an increasing number of sector stakeholders aiming to deliver this through
smart technology (such as AI, machine learning, VR, AR, and advanced data processing) and
client-centered solutions.
The global digital health market was valued at US$ 144.2
billion in 20181, and is predicted to grow to US$ 206 billion by
the end of 20202. Currently, the mobile and wireless health
market in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is set to contribute
the most significant portion of the rise overall, while the
mobile health segment is predicted to produce the
second-largest revenue share. (approximately US$ 46 billion
in 2020).
Looking at these numbers, it becomes clear that although there
are still concerns around data systems integrity and security of
personal information, many industry experts and patients are
choosing to see the glass as half-full; instead focusing on the
benefits that digital health can deliver such as efficient
healthcare expenditures, and greater accessibility to qualified
medical help for everyone.
Trend correlation in mentions between healthcare, technology, and data.
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References: 1. Digital Health Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2019-2024
2. Global Digital Health Market By Major Segment 2015-2020
Which Digital Health Trends Were Most
Prominent In 2019?
Collaborations and partnerships between technology and healthcare companies have delivered significant improvements in basic
tasks such as better appointment scheduling and coordination, immediate test results, improved procedures, and comprehensive
treatment plans – allowing for improved patient experience and enhanced clinical outcomes at lower costs.
Methodology
Digimind monitored mentions
around digital healthcare to
reveal trends and insights
publicly mentioned on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
News, Blogs, and Forums
worldwide in English between 1
October - 8 December 2019.
Key topics discussed on social around Digital Health
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Introduction
A breakdown of the top health tech categories that are garnering the most mentions online show that apps – which include
medication, nutrition, and lifestyle apps – dominate the majority of discussions, with the rest of the categories being extremely
fragmented. This notes that the majority of consumers are primarily concerned with healthcare trends that directly affect them and
that can impact their health on a daily basis.
Overall, the intricacies and developments of the latest digital health trends are not as fervently discussed outside industry
specialists circles and news channels, but that does not mean they should be ignored.
Mentions about health categories Mentions about mobile apps by app type
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Top Hashtags
# A look at the top 20 hashtags most used in relation to digital
health shows that Artificial intelligence (AI), IoT and Big Data,
Machine Learning, Blockchain, VR, and robotics are major
technology topics in the digital health arena.
We’ve already started to witness the potential of these
technologies in advancing and reforming healthcare. In the
following sections, we’ll deep-dive into the top trends identified
and their impact on the future of healthcare.
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Big Data,
Analytics &
Artificial
Intelligence
8
Big Data and Analytics
When dealing with diseases, it is usually easier to treat them in the early stages. But how do you analyze, collect, and discover
warning signs of serious illnesses on a larger, international scale? This is where big data can play a leading role.
Big data, defined as is a large volume of information that can be gathered and analyzed to discover patterns and tendencies, is
arguably the most vital digital health innovation for 2019 and in the coming years. Applied to healthcare, it allows us to structure
data, convert it into relevant insights, calculate and predict the probability of occurrence, treatment, and consequences of
deviations and diseases.
Big data grants immense life-saving potential, making healthcare smart, helping
prevent epidemics, and reduce maintenance and medication costs.
Other benefits include:
Faster access to treatment Enhanced services and
methods procedures
Error minimization and cost Improved customer
reduction involvement
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Big Data and Analytics
Taking into example healthcare mobile apps; new integrated big data based solutions can
collect, process, combine, save and analyze large data volumes for any specific purpose.
These are some of the most popular applications of this technology in medicine:
EHRs or Electronic Health Records contain demographics, laboratory test results, diagnoses,
medications, etc. Only authorized users can access these records via secure information
systems. Not only do they streamline the workflow and reduce document management, but
they also notify a patient to follow his prescriptions, visit a doctor, or get a new analytical lab
test.
Improve staffing and hospital administration. Big data provides solutions for running a
complicated administrative process in a hitch-free manner. Healthcare providers can get
structured insights from diverse data points and can optimize workers’ involvement
during crises, like epidemic outbreaks and natural disasters, as well as to maintain a
balance between unnecessary labor costs and poor customer service.
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Medical photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com
Artificial Intelligence
From diagnostic accuracy and patient care to medical
research and drug development, AI is revolutionizing the
healthcare sector. Advancements in machine learning and
voice recognition are being touted by healthcare
professionals as the way forward for delivering effective
treatments and accurate diagnosis.
Likewise, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies are
recognizing the advantages of AI and are showing increased
commitment to leveraging it to enhance offerings.
Once avoided on grounds of data security and complications
in data migration, cloud technology is increasingly
embraced by the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry
as an important channel for computing big data.
On top of that, companies are recognizing its ability to
enable teams to increase cohesiveness and collaborate
better, as well as identify and interpret data patterns
faster and more accurately, thereby facilitating data-driven
Trendline graph displaying mentions about artificial intelligence and healthcare over the past 2 years
decisions and automating monotonous tasks.
It is without a doubt that artificial intelligence will be at the forefront of the latest digital
health trends in 2019 and beyond.
A look at the number of mentions about artificial intelligence in healthcare over the past two years
shows an increasing trend of discussions around the topic.
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Artificial Intelligence
With the ability to be implemented across multiple categories such as smart apps, wearables, VR, and more, it can significantly increase
efficiency and accuracy across the board.
Furthermore with deep learning, computers can examine thousands of medical images to identify patterns of disease. This offers
enormous potential for improving the accuracy and speed of diagnosis. Reports of deep learning models outperforming humans in
diagnostic testing has generated much excitement and debate, and more than 30 AI algorithms for healthcare have already been
approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for further use in various sub-sectors1.
One such example is The BioMind AI system, developed by the Artificial Intelligence Research Centre for Neurological Disorders at the
Beijing Tiantan Hospital and a research team from the Capital Medical University. The system beat a team of doctors with its higher
accuracy and precision in diagnosing brain tumors and predicting hematoma expansion.
Overall the global community are optimistic about the potential of AI on healthcare, with 72% of mentions being positive. The 8% of
negative mentions involved cases such as AI algorithms producing biased results2 and the ethics of having access to such information.
References: 1. China Focus: Ai Beats Human Doctors in Neuroimaging Recognition Contest
www.digimind.com 2. Akhtar, Allana. “New York Is Investigating UnitedHealth’s Use ofaa Medical Algorithm That Steered Black Patients 12
Away from Getting Higher-Quality Care.” Business Insider, n.d.
IoMT (Internet of
Medical Things)
& Telehealth
13
Internet of Medical Things
Although a late adopter, the Healthcare industry is now actively embracing IoT, and has even introduced the concept of the Internet of
Medical Things (IoMT). With a market forecasted to exceed US$ 136.8 billion by 2021, this sector is being propelled by convenient
patient-oriented medical devices and applications that gather, analyze, and transmit data to healthcare IT systems in real-time.
One of the key objectives of IoMT is to keep the patient in continuous contact with their health care provider, and to allow their provider to
easily access and check patient-generated data. The Life4me+ app is a great example of patient-doctor collaboration and the main IoMT
benefits described below.
Tech products and services such as wearables and medical/vital monitors, mobile health-related apps,
telehealth and residential medical devices not only assist in monitoring health status but also ensure
on-time communication with care-givers and medical experts, if needed. Some categories it is being
used for are:
● Cardiac monitoring
● Glucose measurement
● Blood pressure measurement
● Notifications for treatments/medication
● Healthy lifestyle monitoring
● Weight control
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References: 1. Life4me.plus To Fight Aids, Hepatitis C and Tuberculosis
Internet of Medical Things
Wearables Geriatrics
Wearables such as AppleWatch has revolutionized the way A compelling use case for IoMT is for geriatrics. The United
we monitor cardiac rhythms, becoming a mobile EKG which Nations predicts that by 2025, 1.2 billion of the 8 billion
can replace frequent doctor visits and save costs. In the people on earth will be elderly1. That’s almost equivalent to
coming years, we expect to see wearables used more for the population of the 2nd largest country in the world -
healthcare as technology continues to ensure affordability India.
and strengthen the reliability of individual data-driven
treatment.
As most seniors are faced with waning health, this puts
additional stress on the healthcare system. IoMT can allow us
Over the past year, an increasing number of partnerships to care for our elderly better due to its tremendous potential
have been formed between pharmaceuticals, technology to help deal with the rising costs of care, provide
companies, and wearables, such as Alphabet Inc’s US$ 2.1 reminders for appointments and medication, and easy
billion acquisition of health tracking company FitBit in health checks.
November 2019, and Fitbit's alliance with Bristol-Myers
Squibb Co and Pfizer Inc in October 2019 to develop
proprietary technology to detect atrial fibrillation.
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References: 1. Reenita Das, “10 Ways The Internet of Medical Things Is Revolutionizing Senior Care,” Forbes
Telemedicine
Governments and healthcare companies are investing in complementary products such as digital tools and apps which can interact,
monitor, and respond to patient insights. This can come in the form of self-regulating drug delivery technologies or health
self-measurement apps for individuals. By doing so, companies and healthcare providers are able to build a relationship with patients and
provide a platform that further builds relationships and allow treatments outside the traditional hospital environment.
Although telemedicine visits have
increased in the US in recent years, the
majority of American adults still receive
care from Healthcare Practitioners
(HCPs) in person rather than via remote
technology. But increased accuracy in
diagnosis, medicine dispensing, and
continuous monitoring will coincide with
the ability to remotely treat patients, thus
bridging the accessibility gap in larger
rural territories.
In parallel, high-quality broadband
expansions, improvements in
audiovisual consultations, and laws
allowing insurance coverage and
reimbursement on telemedicine visits
will be crucial for connecting people in
remote areas with specialists, and
providing personalized support to
sufferers of abuse, mental illnesses or
terminal diseases, who may be unable to
attend physical sessions.
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Telemedicine
The main areas of telemedicine are identified as:
Real-time doctor-patient communications
that include basic visual and psychiatric
examinations, medical history assessments
and entail a set of additional services:
● Remote pharmaceutical consultations
● Teleneuropsychology (remote
management of neuropsychological
Live tests
telemedicine ● Telenursing (remote diagnostics,
symptoms, and health indicators
monitoring)
● Telerehabilitation (becomes popular in
neuropsychology, occupational therapy,
and physical therapy)
● Telepsychiatry
● Teledermatology
● Teleophthalmology, etc.
Store-and-for Acquisition and storage of medical data with
ward transmission to a specialist. This is actively
telemedicine used in pathology, radiology, and dermatology.
Helps to track patients’ health data, especially
Remote
those with chronic diseases or specific
patient
conditions, using wearable gadgets and
monitoring
portable medical devices. Trendline graph displaying mentions about telemedicine and healthcare over the past 2 years
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VR and AR in
Healthcare
18
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
in Healthcare
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality present themselves as interesting tools for the digital health industry. Augmented reality
produces images that are displayed onto the real-world environment, while virtual reality provides us with a completely artificial
one. However In both cases, users can see generated images or texts through the assistance of VR/AR lenses.
VR and AR technologies are actively used to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases and disorders, and have already proved
their worth within the medical education system. They have also become a feasible option for surgeons to visualize necessary
data displayed via sensors, have pre-surgery run-throughs, or even AR assistance during smaller operations.
Virtual reality surgery tool, Fundamental VR allows surgeons and medical students to A recent combination of virtual reality and 3D printing
practice operations being used in medical practice
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VR and AR in Healthcare
There are far more instances of virtual and augmented reality to
be explored. Their application in digital healthcare will be
disruptive, allowing HCPs to provide more effective and risk-free
care.
Surgeons have already performed reconstructive leg surgery
and sinus operations with the help of AR. Other examples
where it can be used are shown below, along with the trends:
● Psychological relief and treatment
● Immersive VR games, movies, and exercise scenarios
for pain reduction, mental conditions, and
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders treatment
● Visualization and diagnostics
From showing data on the patient’s body to predicting possible
outcomes and working out different treatment scenarios, VR and
AR will prove to be an invaluable technology moving forward,
which will allow HCPs to perform procedures much more precise
than ever before.
Trendline graph displaying mentions about VR or AR and healthcare over the past 2 years
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Blockchain
21
Blockchain
While most often associated with crypto currencies, the healthcare industry has recognised the potential of blockchain technology for its
ability to remodel the way vital research and useful healthcare data is shared with key stakeholders such as clinical researchers,
doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers.
Identified areas in which of blockchain application would be most useful for the healthcare industry include:
1. Increased Interoperability and Digital Data Management
Up to 1 in 5 patient records1 are not accurately matched when seeking care at a familiar healthcare location. Moreover, when multiple
healthcare systems came into the picture, as many as half the patient records were mismatched.
While systems such as the Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) already exist to facilitate peer-to-peer exchange of electronic health
records among member participants, interoperability remains a challenge due to factors such as establishing a ‘trust network’, varying data
standards, and high transaction costs.
The decentralized nature of blockchain ledgers allows secure, faster, simplified, cost-effective and reliable access to electronic
medical information across authorized network users, while maintaining personal privacy and regulatory compliance.
Furthermore, blockchain’s ability to track and trace history would enable stronger data integrity and better interoperability for multiple
HCPs and entities to manage individuals’ identity (e.g., patient, participant, provider).
In 2018, the Taipei Medical University Hospital and Digital Treasury Corporation (DTCO) launched phrOS, a blockchain-based mobile app
which doctors and patients can use to access and review various information2, including images, of a concerned patient’s condition,
increasing transparency between medical institutions.
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References: 1. “Challenges and Strategies for Accurately Matching Patients to Their Health Data,” Bipartisan Policy Center
2. Dtco, “Healthcare Blockchain Operating System,” phrOS
Blockchain
2. Clinical Research & Data Access 3. Health Supply Chain Management
While clinical trials are the bloodline of the healthcare The WHO, estimates that tens of thousands of people die
industry, up to 50 percent of them go unreported1 due to each year2 from counterfeit drugs. The root cause of many of
the time-consuming nature of filing such reports. However, these counterfeits is a lack of transparency of the producer’s
this action denies the sharing of research discoveries and supply chain.
crucial information, which could contribute towards further
research and innovations. Using a blockchain ledger can help to increase trust among
doctors, pharmacists, and consumers, and can help
Private blockchains can be used to store information about manufacturers and HCPs track ready-stock information in the
clinical trials in a secure manner, to ensure that important retail market to ensure only legitimate products are being
trial data can be stored and shared amongst the medical purchased and dispensed.
research community.
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References: 1. Jane C. Hu, “Nearly Half of the EU's Clinical Trial Results Go Unreported,” Quartz
2. Ben Hirschler, “Tens of Thousands Dying from $30 Billion Fake Drugs Trade, WHO Says,” Reuters
The Future of
Digital Health
24
The Future of Digital Health
Healthcare is and continues to be an enormous industry plagued
by bureaucracy and legacy systems, which lead to inefficiencies.
While governments and healthcare companies have long been
the main investors, major tech companies including Google,
Microsoft, and Tencent have started investing more into digital
health over the past 5 years.
This has caused a major shift in areas of focus within digital health
as new technologies emerge and regulations evolve due to
combined expertise.
In 2019, we saw strong emphasis from these companies invested
into data management and analytics, wellness, and genomics,
heralding the marriage of healthcare and technology.
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The Future of Digital Health
With CES2020 looming over the horizon, what are the upcoming trend predictions for digital health?
An analysis of the digital health companies that will be present at the event suggests that AI-powered digital health services will be the
dominant subject. The potential of AI and big data for streamlining diagnostics and treatments, as well as improving the accuracy and
execution of healthcare-related operations, is too great to ignore.
As tech giants take steps to expand their ecosystem into the healthcare space, and new and innovative startups emerge to offer new products
and services, this provides traditional healthcare players with a variety of potential partnerships that can help further company growth and
satisfy unmet needs.
Digimind Social tool showing digital health topics discussed at CES by mention
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The Future of Digital Health
Healthcare companies can leverage the Digital
Health Summit at CES to identify technologies
to acquire or partner with by monitoring the
following on social media:
● Developments with the largest share of
voice during CES2020; this includes
individual postings, as well as re-posts and
shares indicating the volume of interest
● Public reaction to specific tools and
innovations; this can help gauge the
receptiveness of consumers which can
then steer healthcare projects in the right
direction
Web chart from DS tool for Digital Health categories
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Our resources
On best practices and key trends for the industry on social media:
An Insight Into the US Dissecting Opportunities in Asia
Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Pacific's Pharmaceutical and
Industry On Social Media Healthcare Industry
Download here Download here
On managing optimizing competitive benchmarking and pharmacovigilance with competitive intelligence & social listening:
Bridging Gaps in Competitive Benchmarking Tactics
Pharmacovigilance with for Pharmaceutical Companies
Competitive Intelligence and Social Download here
Media Listening
Download here
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About Digimind
Digimind is the leading social media monitoring and competitive intelligence software, designed for brands and agencies who want to
accelerate digital transformation through an insights-driven approach. Recognised by Forrester and Gartner, Digimind’s best-in-breed
technology transforms social and online data into actionable business insights, enabling marketers to effectively plan, execute, and
analyse their marketing strategy.
Founded in 1998, Digimind is headquartered in New York, Paris, Singapore, and Rabat, serving more than 600 customers worldwide
including LinkedIn, Sony, McCann Worldwide, and Lexus.
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Authors
Kevin Tran
Marketing, Pharmaceuticals
Kevin is pursuing his masters in biotechnology and pharmaceutical management. With experience in the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector, Kevin is eager to discover new health tech and methods to transcend
patient healthcare. In his downtime, he enjoys traveling and playing video games.
Sophia Guan
Marketing Manager APAC
With a background in marketing and psychology, Sophia loves understanding human behaviours through
observations and data. After hours, you’ll find her developing LED or fire performances, or roasting coffee.
Melissa Chue
Content Specialist APAC
Melissa is a digital advocate who loves discovering the latest digital and social media trends. When she is not
telling stories about data, she can be found delving into her favourite sub-forums on Reddit.
Susanne Morris
Marketing, US
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Susanne is a writer and content creator who is passionate about creating multimedia
projects that tackle mental health and LGBTQ issues.
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