Singapore: Singapore is all set to host 4th Mobile and Wearable Technology: Healthcare 2014 Conference from 3 - 4 April 2014.

Mobile networks are the enabler of digital health while wearable technology is growing rapidly and is expected to be the next big wave in healthcare similar to that created by the smartphone revolution.

According to IHS, wearable technology and remote patient monitoring show bright outlook whereby telehealth services are currently forecast to serve 5 million patients worldwide and consumer medical devices are forecast to exceed OEM sales of USD10 billion through 2017. In a new assessment of the mobile healthcare market, ABI Research finds wearable wireless device revenues will grow to exceed USD6 billion in 2018. McKinsey estimates that the cost of chronic disease treatment could be reduced by 10-20 percent through the use of mobile sensors, an economic impact of up to USD2 trillion per year by 2025.

The Conference will convene the healthcare authorities, regulators, hospital providers, medical devices manufacturers, venture capitalists and healthcare professionals to discuss the issues and challenges with the emerging growth of mobile healthcare and wearables deployment.

Organizations represented at the Conference include Ministry of Health (Singapore), Health Sciences Authority (Singapore), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Health Promotion Board (Singapore), A*STAR , National University of Singapore, National Institute of Public Health (Japan), Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (South Korea), Microsoft, PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, Industrial Medical Services, Nestle Singapore, Medic8, Sanofi, UnitedHealth Group (USA), Landseed International Medical Group, Medtronic International, Capital Investment Management (India), Celadon Health Ventures, The Propell Group, Tucker Medical, Continua Health Alliance, First Warning Systems (USA), SAP Asia Pacific & Japan, Celcom Axiata Bhd, Mylab, Nanyang Polytechnic and more.

One of the speakers, Dr Pramod Gaur, the vice chair of ATA (American Telemedicine Association's) mHealth Special Interest Group said, "I am very much looking forward to participating and learning innovations first hand and share my analysis of the legislative and regulatory debate that is taking place in the USA to the attendees of this conference. Just a few days ago, South Korean Regulatory authorities announced that they will be assessing the latest Samsung Smartphone S5 and its heart rate monitor app before its projected market launch globally on 11 April 2014 and this shows the significance of a new regulatory framework for the new mobile and wearable devices."