ATA 2012, the largest trade show dedicated entirely to telehealth, telemedicine, mHealth and remote healthcare technologies announced today that it’s grown even larger for this year’s event — now boasting nearly 200 vendors and showcasing thousands of telemedicine products and services — many of which debuting for the first time.

The event has grown 20% in terms of total exhibit space and has become one of the largest mHealth trade shows in existence.  ”The entire spectrum of the telemedicine industry will gather at ATA 2012,” said Jonathan Linkous, Chief Executive Officer of the American Telemedicine Association.  ”From hardware manufacturers to software developers, healthcare providers to telecom vendors, established industry players to innovative upstarts, the 2012 trade show is the complete world of telemedicine, telehealth and mHealth.”

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In a new report from BCC Research, its been projected that the market for global telemedicine services is set to reach $27.3B in 2016, which is up from $9.8 billion in 2010 and $11.6 billion in 2011.

The growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.6% over the next five years.  The report, Global Markets for Telemedicine Technologies, is based on interviews with manufacturers and users of telemedicine technologies and services, as well as from reviews of secondary sources such as company literature, conference proceedings, and related government data.

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It was announced today that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) of Washington State is partnering with Numera, a provider of telehealth and other mHealth solutions, to “reach the diabetes community with a new approach to wellness and chronic health management.”

“Numera Social,” which is a Facebook and mobile application, will target anyone who would like to participate in plans and challenges that guide an individual through the process of making important nutrition and exercise changes to slow the progression of diabetes.  The ADA/Numera Social application will be prominently featured at the ADA Expo on April 21, 2012 at the Washington State Convention Center.

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Consult A Doctor, a provider of cloud-based telemedicine services and platform solutions, has announced that it will debut a new solution for hospitals and clinics at the upcoming HIMSS 2012 conference in Las Vegas later this month.

The new platform, dubbed “MyHospital 24/7,” is actually an extended suite of services already offered by Consult A Doctor aimed at serving hospitals, health plans, providers, self-insured employers and consumers.  The new suite of services offer quality care delivered through a variety of channels including phone, email, video, and mobile app consultations.

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Short term hospital readmissions are often a serious concern after severe ailments like heart attacks, pneumonia, and congestive heart failure. If Medicare patients return to the hospital for the same condition within 30 days, it can trigger a denial of reimbursement for the provider under the new provisions of the Affordable Care Act. In addition to the potential reimbursement issues, these potentially preventable readmissions also cost money, time, and possibly loss of life.

With intervention, education, and improved communication, the number and costs of these visits can decrease significantly. mHealth and mobile devices will play a large part of those patient-doctor interactions and produce results in the changing healthcare landscape.

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A new report out of the U.K is praising the telehealth program sponsored by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) — which is the largest telehealth project in the world — while also asking the question of why telehealth hasn’t gained more momentum and adoption across the U.S. healthcare system.

The new report, published by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), touts the VHA’s telehealth program as a prime example of how telehealth services should be rolled out on such a large scale.  Patients enrolled in the program — most of whom have chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, hypertension, diabetes, and post-traumatic stress disorder — receive free telemonitoring equipment and attention from care coordinators who teach them how to manage their own care.

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The CEO of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), Jonathan Linkous, has published 7 predictions for telemedicine and the greater telehealth market as we enter 2012.

According to Linkous, his predictions relate to the latest trends that will “shape telemedicine and telehealth in the immediate future,” saying these trends represent “major changes from the existing norm, creating new challenges and opportunities for the industry.”  The ATA has done a lot over the past year to advance telehealth solutions, even offering suggestions and guidance to the FDA in terms of overall mHealth regulation.  Here’s the ATA’s biggest predictions for the coming year . . .

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