PREPARING FOR FUTURE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TRENDS BY ANALYZING CURRENT CONSUMER DEMAND

Presentation at the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) Conference, by Mark Benson.

ABSTRACT: Slow regulatory cycles combined with the reality of fast-moving technology curves can cause new homecare telemedicine products to feel old to users that have the latest consumer technology in their pocket.

This presentation explores problems and potential solutions to combating this effect.

Problems include (A) fast-moving consumer technology keeps setting the bar for user interaction and design standards, (B) keeping current with latest technology often requires the creation of non-standard proprietary solutions, and (C) the desire to exert control over the safety and efficacy of a medical product causes medical device companies to naturally trend towards vertical integration, and trend away from horizontal market relevance.

This presentation presents possible solutions to each of these problems, but above all, argues that a careful and smart approach to interaction design is the key to wide-spread adoption and success.