This paper discusses the essential nature of “digital health” – a mammoth market that, while attracting high hopes and keen expectations from companies spanning most all sectors, remains largely opaque in terms of its actual commercial potential.

When all is said and done, the greatest headache in coming to grips with the digital health market today lies in the fact that distinct business models have yet to emerge. Accordingly, when moving to formulate viable business models in this domain, there is the need to reach beyond the realm of the feasibility of the digital health business itself. Considerations, that is, must likewise be devoted to the significance of undertaking digital health enterprises from company- and group-wide perspectives.

The author examines the values to be targeted, and the specific hurdles to be surmounted to ensure the business feasibility of such corporate ventures. The global digital health market will attain a scale of $100 billion in the year 2020.

Demands for success in the digital health sector include mounting approaches above and beyond the existing established notions for “improving the quality” and “cutting the costs” of healthcare. Three barriers impeding market formation:

• Difficulties in monetizing
• Large numbers of stakeholders
• Short lifecycles