Ongoing caregiver shortages, an aging population that prefers to remain at home, and the growing presence of chronic diseases globally will drive the need for at-home care technologies such as RPM. Patients indicate they are comfortable with these in-home treatment models—58 percent of global patients indicated at least minimal comfort with RPM (see Figure 14), which is very likely to grow—market research firm Research and Markets projects the global remote patient market will be worth more than US$1.7 billion by 2027. Very comfortable Somewhat comfortable Neutral Somewhat uncomfortable Very uncomfortable Using a SMART DEVICE that will collect their data in real time, which is then stored in an app and sent to the HCP Using a SMART DEVICE to monitor their healthcare needs in real time in between HCP visits Using a VIRTUAL ASSISTANT to monitor their healthcare needs in real time in between HCP visits, as well as advise on a treatment plan The pandemic has brought the necessity of at-home care to the fore. AT-HOME Naturally, home has become a healthcare setting for patients—from CARE health and wellness to healthcare engagement via virtual visits and remote patient monitoring (RPM), consumers are embracing new Using a SMART DEVICE to aid in your treatment and/or recovery technologies that can enable their continued course of care at home. from an injury, illness, or disease In particular, at-home testing has now gone mainstream, as diagnostic COVID-19 tests have been distributed for free across several countries— including the US with an announcement by the government in December 2021 that it would offer 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests in an Using an at-home diagnostic test 6 effort to combat the Omicron variant of the virus . The demand for at- home diagnostics will continue to accelerate, a trend that was already well underway before the pandemic. Figure 14. Patient Comfort Level for Using At-Home Diagnostics and RPM. An indication of the degree to which global patients are comfortable using certain emerging healthcare technologies. 22 23