The demand for telehealth services continues to increase and, according to a survey just released, that demand is driving two segments within the medical device market: cardiac and chronic disease monitoring devices.

This news comes from iData Research, which follows trends within the medical device industry. If the patterns identified by iData hold during the next half decade, the U.S. patient monitoring market will be a $5 billion one by 2020. If that occurs, iData reports, "telehealth for disease conditions management is projected to represent more than half of the total telehealth market."

There are three primary drivers behind this projected explosive growth:

• Demand for customized health care solutions;
• Increased chronic illness amongst the aging population;
• Strained health care budgets.

Other factors in the market growth include evolving reimbursement arrangements that will make equipment purchase more attractive to providers, and a general trend toward larger budgets for telehealth products and services.