Healthcare in the United States continues to transform, including the places it’s actually provided. Broadband technology and smart home solutions obviously play key roles in this arena as studies show more care will be offered in people’s residences, and more consumers are looking for access to health information and tools via broadband.
Around 76 percent of U.S. broadband households want assistance with a health-related needs including stress management, losing weight or improving sleep quality, according to new research from Parks Associates.
“Nearly 50 percent of U.S. broadband consumers would like tools and support to help them lose weight or get into better shape, and over one-third are interested in products and services that can improve overall life quality,” Harry Wang, senior research director at Parks Associates, says. “Connected health devices are often touted as solutions for these needs, but these technologies need to be targeted to the individual consumer in order to drive sustainable improvement on personal health for the long term.
The research firm is offering a workshop later this month that will discuss consumer segmentation and business strategies that can be used to develop and deploy successful consumer-focused solutions. Offered prior to the Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers in San Diego, “Addressing Consumer Needs in the Connected Health Market” is slated for Aug. 30. Details on the workshop are available here.
“As the healthcare industry continues to develop and refine connected health strategies and invest in new technologies, it’s critical that we examine the important role social influence has in influencing the health of individuals and communities,” Dr. Khan Siddiqui, CTO and chief medical officer at higi, notes. “Technology is a great connector but can’t solve our health challenges alone. We must take into account the principals of persuasive technology, behavioral economics, behavioral psychology, self-determination theory and gamification to drive behavior change.”
