Healthcare’s Transformative Technologies at CES 2024
(Caroline Scott, Consumer Technology Association Contributing Editor) — In recent years, and as was seen at CES 2024, the healthcare industry has benefited from a significant transformation furthered by the integration of digital technologies. The advent of digital technologies across the healthcare landscape has revolutionized the way we approach wellness, making
therapies and a wide range of other services more accessible, personalized and efficient. Promoting these advances, CTA continues to play a catalyzing role in helping industry players shape the future of healthcare through innovation and collaboration. Here’s a closer look at how CTA with CES – the world’s most powerful technology show owned and operated by CTA – have helped foster innovation in the interest of improved wellness and healthcare innovators across the U.S.
Digital Technologies and the Future of Healthcare
The digital health sector employs a wide range of technologies and applications designed to enhance healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes and streamline medical processes. One of the key advantages of digital health is its ability to empower individuals to take control of their health and well-being. From wearable devices that monitor vital signs to mobile apps that provide real-time health insights, digital health technologies enable individuals to track and manage their health proactively.
Furthermore, digital health can break down traditional barriers to healthcare access. Telehealth, for example, allows individuals to consult with healthcare professionals remotely, eliminating geographical constraints and providing timely medical advice. This is particularly crucial in rural and underserved areas where access to healthcare services may be limited.
And for women, digital health tech is particularly promising as a leveler of imbalances in access to quality care. According to CTA’s most recent study, The Future of Women’s Digital Health Solutions, two-thirds (66%) of U.S. women state that digital health solutions are the future of healthcare. Some 64% agree that digital health will aid in lowering healthcare cost. More than half (58%) say digital health solutions will reduce healthcare disparities. Our article, Assessing & Addressing the State of Women’s Healthcare, further explores underrepresentation and underfunding of research in healthcare for women. These are among the challenges digital health tech is countering, as was evidenced across the show floor. A rundown of this and other topics in digital health conference programming at CES 2024 is available on demand.
Healthcare Goes Where You Do with Digital Tech
Wearable medical devices extend beyond basic fitness tracking, offering features like continuous glucose monitoring, ECG monitoring and stress management. CES showcased innovative telehealth solutions designed to enhance the virtual healthcare experience. From immersive virtual reality consultations to remote patient monitoring, telehealth technologies are evolving to provide more comprehensive and engaging healthcare services.
The integration of digital therapeutics, increasingly in wearable and mobile formats, gained prominence at CES with the addition of apps and platforms that deliver evidence-based interventions for various medical conditions. These digital therapeutics aim to complement traditional treatments and improve patient outcomes.
CES 2024 featured breakthroughs in wearable and mobile health tech, and scores of startup products and services for improved wellbeing. The show also reprised the popular Digital Health Summit. Panel topics included health equity, innovations in mental health, women’s healthcare, generative AI and much more.
The Healthcare Network Effect at CES 2024
After a great success at CES 2023, the Digital Health Mixer returned in full force at CES 2024. The informal networking event brought diverse digital-health innovators together to exchange insights and ideas.
In 2023, the Digital Health Mixer attracted nearly 350 attendees. In 2024, the event drew more than 500 attendees. The networking at this venue has consistently fostered important collaborations among healthcare visionaries. It also has proved invaluable for facilitating seamless exchanges of critical information. These connections help continue the conversation long after the show’s close, year after year.
As we navigate the digital age, the importance of digital health tech cannot be overstated. The transformative impact of these technologies, coupled with the advocacy and support of innovative organizations and experts that align with CTA, is paving the way for a more connected, patient-centric healthcare landscape. CES 2024 served as a testament to the power and promise of digital health, offering a glimpse into a healthcare future that’s both technologically advanced and more completely human-centered.
It’s not too soon to save the date for CES 2025, January 7-10, in Las Vegas. In the meantime, explore how CTA’s digital health team is working for business innovation and sample extensive on-demand content relevant to this critical topic. Stay tuned for more updates as our work continues in the interest of progress in digital health tech.