Advanced talks with potential members from other UK organisations are currently underway, whilst plans to expand the group into Europe during 2014 have progressed with the addition of Spanish cooperative, TIC Biomed to the group.
The Catalyst is set to meet for the first time in London on 5 February 2014 to discuss how it can provide new, low cost products and services for both consumer and provider markets. These could include innovations such as fitness boosting smart phone apps, blood monitoring devices, TV and phone based services for the elderly and self-management software for diabetics.
Market projections for digital healthcare vary widely, but all point to rapid growth over coming years as demand for services increases. According to a recent report conducted by Frost and Sullivan, the worldwide market for healthcare devices will garner over $509.25 billion in the next 10 years, up 87.5 per cent from $271.55 billion in the current decade.
CEO Dr Steven Dodsworth, formerly a scientist with the UK arm of the Human Genome project, leads D Health. He said: "Everyone in the healthcare industry knows what challenges lie ahead - an ageing population, more lifestyle-related ill health and growing constraints on budgets. In a nutshell, there is an increasing demand for services but fewer resources to deliver them.
"Digital healthcare has the potential to deliver popular, personalised, efficient and affordable patient services, and yet, the market isn’t growing fast enough to alleviate pressure on the NHS and local authorities.
"By creating a partnership that embodies all sections of the healthcare industry we aim to create not only new products and services but a new market dynamic based on collaboration. That way the industry can develop urgently required services that support and supplement sustainable health and care services for the future."
Ken Spooner from the Red House Group of Surgeries added: "The Catalyst offers the opportunity for developers of digital healthcare products to work with those who understand patients' needs, helping them to come up with solutions that can deliver and be part of the NHS healthcare offering in the future."
For further information, please visit:
http://www.dhcl.org
Digital healthcare is a holistic term incorporating telemedicine, telehealth, telecare, E-Health, M-Health, Health IT and Assisted Living. As aging populations, lifestyle related diseases and other social and economic drivers continue to dominate global healthcare systems, digital healthcare is rapidly emerging as a key solution for delivering sustainable health and care for the future.
D Health is a specialist consultancy which provides support services to the global digital healthcare community. Combined, D Health’s core team has over 70 years of experience in healthcare as academics, public servants, industry professionals and business leaders. Calling on its industry experience and networks, D Health’s expertise lies in its ability to identify funding, provide market intelligence, scope opportunities, design business/service models and broker partnerships.
The D Health Catalyst is a market accelerator programme that aims to work with leading organisation from the UK and Europe to drive rapid development of the digital healthcare market. D Health aims to stimulate interaction and development by ensuring the Catalyst represents a full cross-section of the market, from SMEs and blue chip companies to state providers and investors. By achieving this, Catalyst members can work in true collaboration, giving them new insight whilst reducing risk, thereby providing a competitive edge.