Baby boomers influencing the future of health care technology

Vantage point: Insights from cutting-edge research

The future of health care is being shaped by both demographic and technological changes. New and advanced technologies, including robotics and wearables, are changing the way that treatment and diagnoses can be conducted, while greater life expectancy and aging baby boomers are presenting unique challenges to health care institutions and systems. Medical equipment manufacturers are also evolving in time with these changes in order to ensure their products are effective, up-to-date, and that they meet market standards and patient expectations. According to Infiniti Research, the global market for intensive care unit (ICU) and operating room equipment, driven by these advancements and innovations, will grow at a CAGR of seven per cent until 2020.

Infiniti Research has recently completed a market intelligence study on market opportunities for ICU and operating room (OR) equipment for a leading medical technology company. The large number of baby boomers entering into retirement age and facing age-related health issues is putting a strain on health care systems in several countries across the world, especially in North America. This demographic is more likely to require in-patient surgical procedures and to require emergency care and procedures than other age groups.

Digital supply chain will be predominant model in five years

Nine technologies are working together to create next-generation supply chains that are digital, on-demand and always-on, according to the fourth in a series of MHI Annual Industry Reports developed in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting. These supply chain models will soon become the new supply chain reality. Eighty per cent of those surveyed believe digital supply chains will be the predominant model within five years. Sixteen per cent say they already are. This year’s report provides updates on the eight innovative technologies MHI predicted would have the most potential to transform supply chains three years ago when the MHI Annual Industry Report was launched.

The 2017 report also covers the potential of these technologies to disrupt the industry as well as their adoption rates and barriers to adoption. The eight technologies are: Inventory and network optimisation; sensors and automatic identification; cloud computing and storage; robotics and automation; predictive analytics; wearable and mobile technology; autonomous vehicles and drones; and 3D printing. This year's survey revealed the emergence of a ninth innovation, the Internet of Things (IoT) that has growing importance in the digital economy.

Online shoppers in India use two or more devices for shopping

More than 51 per cent of online shoppers in India use two or more devices for shopping, according to a recent report by performance marketing technology company Criteo. The report titled “The State of Cross-Device Commerce — India” highlights a clear need for retailers to deepen their understanding of cross-device consumer behaviour trends. The data can also be used to align their marketing strategies to maximise the return on investment (RoI). “India’s online shoppers have seen a paradigm shift in last decade. The fierce competition of online players, increase of smartphones usage and internet penetration has resulted in an extended customer online journey across devices,” said Dushyant Sapre, commercial director, Criteo.

“Adoption of a cross-device measurement strategy is a critical imperative for all retailers. Marketers not only need to adopt cross-device measurement to ensure proper attribution, but also to ensure their expenditure is optimised for the channels delivering the highest performance. Retailers who are able to deliver a seamless and personalised customer experience across devices will stand out from the crowd,” he added.