A report conducted by a German market research firm, Research2guidance, indicated that revenue from mobile health apps could increase as much as ten times by 2017. This study compiled survey answers from over two thousand health app publishers to determine the future of this field.

A Modern Healthcare article, “Mobile Health App Revenue to Grow Tenfold by 2017” summarized this research which found that new mobile health applications now generate $2.4 billion and are projected to generate as much as $26 billion by the year 2017. With so many new applications being created and so many app developers entering the market, hospitals and healthcare providers are falling behind. If these healthcare providers implement successful marketing strategies, however, they could become important players in the mobile health app field.

Which healthcare apps are consumers using? The applications that currently show the most potential for app developers are those that monitor fitness. Research predicts, however, that apps that remotely monitor health and enable remote consultations will soon take the lead. In fact, by 2017 fitness monitoring apps could fall to only the fifth highest grossing mobile health app category.

How many of these apps are being published? The number of mobile health apps created for iPhone and Android have more than doubled in the past two and a half years. As many as a hundred thousand mobile health apps are now in existence, and that number is constantly increasing.

How do hospitals and healthcare providers fit in? When it comes to mobile health apps for smartphones, traditional healthcare players are being left behind. Hospitals, insurance providers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical technology companies represent only about 3.4 percent of app publishers and their apps are downloaded far less than average. These players have the longest way to go to become serious contenders in the mobile health app field. According to the survey, traditional players could become serious contenders, with the right strategy. Hospitals and healthcare providers could become very successful at developing mobile health apps if they find a way to market their developments in this growing field. Many believe that in time these apps could become highly integrated into the healthcare process.

The number of mobile healthcare apps is constantly increasing, and experts are predicting that this lucrative field will continue to grow. Though healthcare providers are lagging behind, many believe that mobile health apps will become more integrated into the field of healthcare, and thus give healthcare providers more chances to increase their reach.

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.

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