Digital communications in the form of the Internet, cell phones, and wireless data access have transformed the way people communicate around the world. The impact is not just limited to interpersonal communications, however. 15 years ago, who would have guessed that more people would do their holiday shopping online this year instead of in stores? Digital communications is having an impact on how we manage our health, as well.
A new report from Apigee points to rapid growth in how people in the U.S. used smartphones and apps for health. One of the most impressive results from the free report, Digital Impact Survey 2015: Digital is Destiny, is that in the past two years, 42 million more people responded that this technology has changed the way that they manage their health and wellness. This represents a 70% increase over the 2013 survey results, and as the company points out, this increase is equal to the entire population of Argentina. Furthermore, nearly four out of five of those who use wearables and apps stated that they are healthier as a result.
The tide is clearly rising for wearable devices for Health Tech applications, as the early adopters report success and a strong appetite for more. And 80% of those surveyed expect their healthcare providers to offer “key services” using digital communications within the next two years. Adoption of such services is clearly going to accelerate as the technology and systems come online.
