Start-up funding for digital healthcare including telehealth or wearable technology is expected to double in the U.S. over the next three years to $6.5 billion in 2017 from $3.5 billion in 2014, said Accenture.
A study by Accenture said an estimated $2.8 billion was used to fund digital health start-ups last year, growing at an annual rate of 31 percent since 2008.
Accenture projects digital health start-up funding will grow to $4.3 billion in 2015, and it is expected to reach $6.5 billion by the end of 2017.
Between 2008 and 2013 start-up funding totaled $10.2 billion for digital health solutions addressing four market segments:
Infrastructure capabilities, such as interoperability and health analytics, accounted for an estimated $2.9 billion in start-up funding, which was used by organizations to comply with industry changes and federal Meaningful Use guidelines, said Accenture in a statement.
Engagement solutions, such as wearable technology and incentive programs targeting behavioral change among patients, received $2.6 billion in start-up funding.
Treatment tools, which enable alternative care channels by leveraging technology, such as telehealth, also received $2.6 billion in start-up funding.
Diagnosis technology captured $2.1 billion in start-up funding, representing a growing segment of clinical and consumer tools, such as remote monitoring, that provides practitioners with real-time insight.