The collective measures taken by the healthcare fraternity to join hands with technology in the recent times are much appreciable. Breaking the 'No Entry Zone' for technology, doctors have started leveraging it to provide the best healthcare services that they can. However, with this marriage going strongly, there seems to be a decline in the IT spending from the healthcare segment in the year 2014 and 2015. But IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will reach $2.8 trillion in 2019 with the strongest growth coming from the Healthcare industry with a CAGR of 5.5 percent between 2015-2019. A ray of hope!

With the ecosystem undergoing a dramatic and fundamental shift in business, clinical and operating models, healthcare providers, payers, governments and other stakeholders strive to deliver effective, efficient and equitable care. Fueled by the aging and growing population, the proliferation of chronic diseases, heightened focus on care quality and value, evolving financial and quality regulations, informed and empowered consumers and innovative treatments and technologies, the cost of healthcare is touching sky each day. But technology is playing an eminent role in bringing it down to a level that is affordable by most of us.

The potential to streamline, improve and perhaps transform the current healthcare system is huge. Wearable technology like Google Glass has taken the front seat in many countries; mobiles are becoming the first and the last thing that people look at everyday to stay connected, making it one of the most potential devices for healthcare industry to touch lives of people. On the other hand, technologies like Digestible Sensors will continue to provide healthcare professionals with more information about human body and how various treatment solutions affect each system of organs.

Communication may seem like an easy technology to develop for the healthcare industry, but it has been nothing but problematic for decades costing over $250 billion to process over 30 billion transactions annually. However, steps are being taken to create platforms where such communications can be made as simple and cost effective as possible and link doctors with other doctors and patients.

While communication and cost are just two protruding uncertainties, there are several others that need immediate attention from the industry and its stakeholders. From leveraging big data to tapping into social networking, companies are turning their attention to how technology can be applied to keep people healthy. We need more such technological advancements, but quite early, to make healthcare industry stay healthy and serve its customers better.