Northern European countries dominate EU’s mHealth survey. UK leads the way
According to a survey conducted by research2guidance in collaboration with HIMSS Europe and as part of the largest global mHealth research programme in 28 EU member states, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Sweden and UK have the highest market readiness and most mature market conditions for mHealth companies to succeed.
Over 5,000 app developers, healthcare professionals and mHealth practitioners were asked to rank European countries based on their experience and provide reasons for their ranking. The practitioners view is combined with facts based evaluation for each country, based on market condition criteria such as eHealth adoption, level of digitalization, market size and health expenditure, ease of starting a business and the mHealth regulatory framework.
Out of these five countries, the UK emerged as the leader according to 55% of mHealth practitioners. The study revealed that this is primarily due to the openness and positive attitude many doctors in the UK have when it comes to new technology and integrating mHealth solutions into patient treatments.
Ralf Jahns, Managing Director at research2guidance, who announced the survey findings at the mHealth Summit Europe, said: “The survey is now in its sixth year and the response this time has been overwhelming becoming increasingly evident that the momentum around mHealth is growing at a rapid pace. The report is extremely valuable for anyone thinking about starting an mHealth company, as well as for government organisations in European countries that want to benefit from a flourishing mHealth ecosystem through creating highly qualified jobs, reducing national healthcare costs and ensuring high levels of quality of care.”
Germany and France emerged with mixed results: on the one hand these two markets have enormous potential when it comes to the amount which has been invested in patients, doctors, hospitals and healthcare on a whole. However, rankings for eHealth and mHealth adoption in Germany and France were extremely low, showing these countries are more reluctant to embrace the digitalisation of healthcare, thus classifying themselves as “average” countries to invest in mHealth.
Rainer Herzog, General Manager at HIMSS Europe added: “The timing of the report is particularly important as it coincides with the mHealth Summit Europe which will bring together the most important stakeholders in the mHealth industry in Europe. The survey results will provide a great platform for discussion and give us an insight into how ready European countries really are to adopt mHealth and the challenges that some countries are yet to overcome, meanwhile giving entrepreneurs a head-start when deciding which country would be best to start an mHealth business.”
To view the full report please click here.
