CAMBRIDGE, UK – The flexible electronics in healthcare market will exceed $8.3 billion by 2030, according to new research by IDTechEx.

There is a general market trend across healthcare toward increasing digitization, the research firm says. Digital health solutions such as telehealth, telemedicine and remote patient monitoring help keep patients out of hospitals, while maintaining close contact with them. Overall, the solution that digital health brings to traditional healthcare is decreased costs while maintaining a high level of care.

Remote patient monitoring and treatment devices ideally need to be safely and comfortably worn long term without causing the patient any unnecessary burden, says IDTechEx. Flexible and printed electronics fit well with this requirement, providing flexible, foldable, stretchable, conformal, lightweight options for key device components.

This synergy works best with products such as skin patches, smart clothing, and other remote patient monitoring or treatment devices that interface with the skin or other tissues, according to Dr. Nadia Tsao, principal analyst at IDTechEx.