Copying and distributing are prohibited without permission of the publisher
AT&T moves into US health business
05 November 2010
AT&T has become the latest large operator to announce a move into healthcare, looking for a share of a potential $33 billion market
Read more:
AT&T
AT&T ForHealth
health care
telemedicine
Telefónica
medicine
AT&T has launched a new business sector designed to use telecoms networks and cloud services in healthcare. The company says the US market for IT in health was worth $33 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow 24% over the next four years.
The company says it is looking at services including activating medicine bottles that remind patients to take pills on schedule; devices that monitor patients’ heart levels from home; and audio/video links that can replace the need for a visit to the doctor.
John Stankey, president and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions, the company unit that is running the sector, said: “We believe the healthcare industry is at a tipping point for fundamental change that will improve patients’ care and lead to better healthcare outcomes.”
AT&T is following Telefónica, which in July 2010 launched an operation aimed at winning business in electronic health monitoring and healthcare, focusing on five European countries and six in Latin America.
Stankey said: “Networking solutions, using cloud-based, mobility and telepresence technologies, can help the overall industry deliver better care to people while driving costs out of the system.”
The practice area will be called AT&T ForHealth, and will be run by senior vice president Dan Walsh. “Today’s announcements signal an exciting new era where our technology and smart networks can help improve the quality of care, reduce costs, and contribute to a healthier world,” said Walsh.
Services under development include a number of pilot programmes, including one called Smart Slippers that wirelessly monitor a patient’s gait to identify pressure signatures. Another project is designed to help manage diabetes, and the company is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to work on heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and oncology. GTB