Global and Digital Healthcare – Statistics and Facts

Digital health is already a cornerstone of developed healthcare systems worldwide. However, the definition of the term is broad. Related terms such as mHealth, telehealth, health informatics, or especially eHealth are often used synonymously. Decision-making aids in the form of data, figures, facts, and statistics are available as a free PDF download below.

Healthcare worldwide – statistics and facts

In recent decades, advances in technology and medicine have increased life expectancy and the overall health of people worldwide. However, significant inequalities in healthcare and health services persist due to geography and wealth. For example, in 2018, all twenty countries with the lowest life expectancy were located in Africa, while the countries with the highest life expectancy were primarily found in Europe and the wealthier nations of Asia.

According to the latest figures, the United States spends the highest percentage of its GDP on healthcare among OECD countries. Per capita healthcare spending in the US was around $10,200 in 2017, compared to $5,850 in Germany and $4,800 in Canada. The United States also spends by far the most on healthcare for diabetes. Although obesity is a growing problem in many countries, the United States still has some of the highest rates globally. However, rates of other common health risks are much higher in other countries. For example, the smoking rate among men is highest in Indonesia and Russia, while the Seychelles and Uganda have the highest per capita alcohol consumption.

Just as there are global inequalities in life expectancy, there are also differences in leading causes of death based on wealth. While the top three causes of death in low-income countries are lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and heart disease, the leading causes in high-income countries are heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. Leading causes of death in low-income countries also include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria—all diseases that are not among the leading causes for middle- or high-income countries. In 2019, Lesotho, South Africa, and the Philippines had the highest rates of tuberculosis incidence, while Eswatini, Lesotho, and Mozambique reported the highest prevalence of new HIV infections.

Global health

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Digital Healthcare – Statistics and Facts

Digital health is already a cornerstone of developed healthcare systems worldwide. However, the definition of the term is broad. Related terms such as mHealth, telehealth, health informatics, or especially eHealth are often used synonymously. Undoubtedly, digital health utilizes (latest) information and communication technologies to develop faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective healthcare. Since the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” aimed for greater efficiency, it was widely regarded in the United States as a driving force for digital health solutions. Nevertheless, many Americans lack a clear understanding of what terms like digital health, eHealth, or mHealth actually encompass.

The global digital health market was valued at approximately $88 billion in 2018. Recent forecasts predict this figure will rise to over $500 billion by 2025. Mobile health and wireless healthcare are expected to be the primary drivers of this growth. Digital health is also a magnet for new investments, particularly in startups. Investments have rapidly increased from $1.1 billion in 2010 to nearly $14 billion in 2019. As expected, the United States is leading the digital health industry. The metropolitan areas of San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, and Los Angeles are key epicenters of this sector.

The increasing use of eHealth solutions is evident, for example, in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by physicians. While the percentage of office-based physicians in the US using such systems was approximately 18 percent in 2001, this figure had risen to around 86 percent by 2017. Nationwide, physicians in Nevada, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are leading the way in EHR adoption. For some medical specialties, the adoption rate is even higher.

Telemedicine is also expected to gain in importance in the near future. The global telemedicine market is projected to grow from approximately $45 billion in 2019 to nearly $180 billion in 2026. The acceptance and adoption rate of telemedicine services among Americans has shown a steady increase over the past five years. However, virtual visits, particularly live video consultations between patients and doctors, are expected to experience a massive surge in popularity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for social distancing and avoiding contact with other patients makes it a highly effective alternative for most non-urgent visits.

The rapid spread of internet use, mobile devices and networks, social networks, etc., has been a key prerequisite for the rise of digital health. Real-time data transfer and information exchange are of great benefit to both doctors and patients. Nevertheless, many patients are hesitant to share their health data due to cybersecurity concerns. On the other hand, the internet offers patients access to an inexhaustible wealth of health information.

Digital healthcare – Digital health

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