Big tech, big data and the new world of digital health

Abstract

This commentary shows the exponential growth of digital health and the accompanying explosion of health data. It discusses three major shifts in the global health landscape. The first will be the move of the big tech companies into healthcare, the second will be the monetization of consumer data and the creation of health data marketplaces; and the third will be the growth of Asia as a leader in digital health. Big tech already has the advantage of a massive consumer base, data and analytics which enable them to understand consumers; and complementary technologies, like wearables, that will drive the consumerization of healthcare. This expansion can happen quickly and already is creating challenges for regulators as they try to catch up. The vast volumes of data and the ability of technology such as blockchain to enable data owners to monetize their data, will lead to the development of health data marketplaces, which can connect and monetize data for data owners and make it available for scientific discovery. The developments in self-sovereign identity, will make it possible for individuals to monetize their health data in the future. Finally, we see the emergence of Asia as a powerhouse for the digital health of the future, with vast populations, mobile technology and increasing adoption of wearable devices. Consumer focused health care driven by data will change the institutional models of the past.