Patients with chronic diseases are increasingly turning to telehealth services to replace constant in-person visits to manage their conditions.
The American Medical Association projects the telemedicine market is expected to be worth $6 billion by 2020, up from $1 billion in 2016, according to a Seattle Times report.
The report also outlines the current and projected markets for telehealth by number of patients for certain chronic conditions, using data provided by IHS, and the data largely indicate overall growth.
For example, approximately 208,000 patients with congestive heart failure used telemedicine services in 2014, and that number is expected to reach 578,000 in 2016. For chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the patient market is projected to grow from 55,000 in 2014 to 130,000 in 2016. Diabetic patients using telemedicine will also see significant growth, from 79,000 in 2014 to 236,000 in 2016.
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