Internet of things in healthcare

These technologies power everything from remote monitoring and wearable trackers to smart beds and infusion pumps, helping providers detect issues early and respond more quickly.

As health systems face rising demand for personalized, preventive, and efficient care, IoT adoption is accelerating. The market is expanding steadily, fueled by advances in wireless tech, cloud platforms, and data analytics. Once a niche innovation, healthcare IoT is now a core pillar of modern, digitally enabled care.

Its rapid growth is driven by several structural forces:

• Aging populations with more complex, long-term care needs

• The global rise of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease

• Demand for cost-effective, remote, and patient-centered care

• Advances in cloud computing, data interoperability, and AI integration

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many of these trends, turning remote care and digital infrastructure from optional to essential. Today, healthcare providers, insurers, and governments increasingly rely on IoT tools to streamline operations, reduce hospital visits, and enhance clinical outcomes.

This momentum is reflected in user growth. As shown in the chart below, the number of people using healthcare IoT solutions worldwide grew from 17.2 million in 2018 to over 42 million in 2024 and is projected to surpass 67 million by 2028. This sharp rise shows how IoT is moving from specialized use cases to broader, everyday healthcare.

The implications are wide-ranging: more empowered patients, more efficient hospitals, and greater pressure on systems to secure and interpret massive volumes of real-time data.

Healthcare IoT Market Size and Regional Breakdown

The global healthcare IoT market is experiencing sustained, high-velocity growth. In 2023, the market was valued at $44.2 billion and is forecast to grow more than eightfold by 2034, reaching an estimated $368 billion. This remarkable trajectory reflects the ongoing shift from reactive, facility-centered care to data-driven, digitally connected, and patient-centric systems.

Each year marks a notable jump in market value. For instance, from 2024 to 2028, the market is expected to nearly triple, reaching $115.9 billion. By 2030, that figure is projected to surpass $170 billion, with accelerated growth continuing into the next decade. This reflects the broader adoption of IoT across all levels of care — from hospitals and diagnostic centers to home care and personal wellness — and the increasing integration of IoT devices with AI, cloud infrastructure, and electronic health records.

Several structural trends are fueling this expansion:

• Ongoing digitization of healthcare operations and infrastructure

• Strong demand for remote and home-based care solutions

• Investments in smart hospital technologies

• Expansion of health data ecosystems, including wearable integration and mobile health platforms

Regional Dynamics: Who’s Leading the Growth

This explosive growth is not evenly distributed. North America holds the largest market share, accounting for 35% of global healthcare IoT revenue. This leadership is underpinned by several key factors: a mature regulatory environment, widespread use of EHR systems, strong digital infrastructure, and early adoption of emerging technologies across both public and private health sectors.

Europe follows with 29% of the market. Here, government-led digital health initiatives, particularly in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordics, have helped drive adoption. Interoperability frameworks and national health portals have also supported the integration of connected devices into standard care.

Asia Pacific, with a 24% share, is emerging as a powerful growth engine. The region is seeing rapid adoption in urban centers, driven by demographic pressure, healthcare access gaps, and public-private investment in digital transformation. Countries like China and India are investing heavily in connected health as part of broader national innovation strategies.

Latin America (8%) and the Middle East & Africa (4%) currently represent smaller portions of the global market but hold untapped potential. Many governments are beginning to digitize public health infrastructure, while startups and multinational players are launching scalable, mobile-first solutions aimed at underserved populations.

Together, these trends show that while high-income markets are currently leading in adoption and revenue, emerging economies are expected to play an increasingly significant role in the next phase of global healthcare IoT growth.

Key Applications of IoT in Healthcare

The growing adoption of IoT in healthcare is clearly reflected in the increasing global market value of wearable healthcare devices, projected to reach over $76 billion by 2029. As the chart shows, applications such as sports and fitness, medical diagnosis, therapy, and others are driving this expansion. Below are the primary areas where IoT-enabled wearables and connected technologies are making the most impact:

1. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

As the chart indicates, medical diagnosis is one of the largest and fastest-growing segments, projected to exceed $23 billion by 2029. RPM is central to this trend, using wearables to track heart rate, glucose, blood pressure, and more. Devices transmit real-time data to clinicians, allowing early detection, chronic disease management, and fewer hospital readmissions — especially important for aging populations and post-acute care.

2. Smart Hospitals and Infrastructure

While not directly shown in the chart, infrastructure innovations rely heavily on the broader IoT ecosystem. However, wearable data supports smart hospital systems by integrating with EHRs (Electronic Health Records) and enabling better workflow automation and patient monitoring — especially in high-acuity environments.

3. Medication Management

Falling under the "therapy" category — which is projected to grow to $15.62 billion by 2029 — smart medication tools integrate with wearable devices to track adherence, issue reminders, and report missed doses. These solutions improve outcomes for patients on complex medication regimens, especially the elderly and those with cognitive decline.

4. Emergency Response and Critical Care

Wearables classified under both “medical diagnosis” and “others” (expected to reach $7.81 billion by 2029) are now used in pre-hospital and critical care settings. Real-time data from connected devices in ambulances helps hospitals prepare trauma teams ahead of arrival, reducing treatment delays and improving survival rates.

5. Chronic Disease and Elderly Care

The continued rise in therapy and medical diagnosis segments also reflects increased use of wearables in long-term health monitoring. Devices that track vitals, detect falls, or assist with mobility are critical for elderly independence and chronic condition management — a key driver behind the wearable market’s overall growth.

6. Sports and Fitness

This remains the largest application segment throughout the decade, projected to grow from $4.84 billion in 2020 to $29.48 billion by 2029. Fitness trackers, sleep monitors, and performance devices dominate this space, highlighting consumer demand for preventive care and self-monitoring — and creating a gateway for more advanced medical applications.

Benefits and Opportunities

Healthcare IoT is unlocking significant clinical and operational value. By enabling real-time monitoring, early detection, and continuous care, connected devices are improving patient outcomes — particularly for those managing chronic conditions or recovering from major procedures. This shift from episodic to proactive care reduces complications and enhances recovery, while giving patients greater autonomy over their health.

Operationally, IoT helps providers work more efficiently and cost-effectively. Smart infrastructure and automated systems streamline workflows, reduce human error, and optimize the use of resources — from hospital beds to medical equipment. These tools not only cut costs but also relieve pressure on healthcare staff, allowing them to focus on higher-value clinical tasks. At the same time, IoT expands access to care, especially in remote or underserved regions, by supporting mobile diagnostics and remote consultations.

Beyond day-to-day care, IoT enables richer, data-driven insights that improve decision-making and power new health models. The constant stream of patient data fuels predictive analytics, supports personalized treatment plans, and opens new avenues for business innovation — including subscription-based services, remote monitoring platforms, and AI-assisted diagnostics. Together, these benefits point to a more responsive, scalable, and preventive healthcare system.

Cybersecurity and Privacy Risks

The integration of IoT technologies in healthcare is transforming patient care—but it also introduces new cybersecurity and privacy vulnerabilities that traditional healthcare infrastructures were not designed to manage. From wearable devices to remote monitoring systems, each connected endpoint can serve as a potential entry point for malicious actors.

IoT as a Vulnerability Vector

IoT devices—such as fitness trackers, smart pill dispensers, and wearable ECG monitors—are often built with limited security protocols, lacking encryption, secure authentication, or regular firmware updates. When deployed at scale in clinical environments, these devices create a broad attack surface that hackers can exploit to access larger hospital networks or compromise patient data.

These vulnerabilities are especially concerning given the sensitivity of the data being transmitted, including vital signs, medication schedules, and diagnostic insights.

Escalating Data Breaches

The scope of data breaches in healthcare continues to rise. In the first half of 2024 alone, over 43 million patient records were exposed in the United States. This follows several years of high breach volumes, with 2022 reaching 51.4 million and 2023 totaling 50 million. The data also shows an alarming peak in 2015, when 112.4 million records were compromised, underscoring the long-standing nature of this threat.

Increased Security Spending

In response to rising threats, 57.54% of healthcare organizations in the US increased their cybersecurity budgets from 2023 to 2024. Only 2.79% reported a decrease, while 22.35% remained unsure—raising concerns about preparedness in a sector that is becoming increasingly digital and device-driven.

The Privacy-Compliance Imperative

Beyond technical risks, IoT-based breaches carry serious regulatory implications under laws such as HIPAA, HITECH, and GDPR. Failing to secure wearable or remote monitoring devices could result in financial penalties, reputational damage, and legal consequences. More importantly, such incidents undermine the trust patients place in their care providers.

Outlook and Innovation

The future of IoT in healthcare is poised to drive a shift from reactive treatment to proactive, personalized care. As devices become more advanced, they will not only collect data but also deliver real-time, predictive insights, helping identify health issues before they escalate. This transformation will enable individualized treatment plans, better chronic disease management, and improved patient outcomes across diverse care settings.

Emerging technologies like 5G and edge computing will enhance speed, reliability, and data processing, supporting critical use cases such as virtual care, smart ICUs, and remote surgeries. Meanwhile, improved interoperability will ensure seamless data exchange across platforms, allowing for more efficient and coordinated care.

However, as IoT adoption grows, so do concerns around cybersecurity and data privacy. As highlighted earlier, the healthcare sector remains a top target for breaches. Moving forward, innovation must be matched by strong security frameworks and ethical safeguards to ensure trust and resilience. With the right balance, IoT will continue to shape a smarter, more connected, and more human-centered healthcare future.

Conclusion

The Internet of Things is no longer a futuristic concept in healthcare — it is a core driver of transformation across clinical, operational, and consumer domains. From remote monitoring and smart hospitals to wearable diagnostics and personalized care, IoT technologies are reshaping how health is delivered, managed, and experienced.

Fueled by rising demand for efficient, data-driven, and patient-centered solutions, IoT adoption is accelerating globally, supported by advances in AI, cloud infrastructure, and 5G. As this report has shown, the impact is visible in market growth, real-world applications, and expanding user adoption — but also in the complex challenges around cybersecurity, privacy, and interoperability.

To fully realize its potential, the healthcare sector must balance innovation with resilience and trust. Investments in digital infrastructure must be matched with strong governance, ethical design, and inclusive strategies that ensure no population is left behind. Done right, IoT will not just enhance care — it will enable a more predictive, preventive, and equitable healthcare system for the future.

Sources and References:

Global Market Size and Forecast for IoT in Healthcare

https://www.precedenceresearch.com/internet-of-things-in-healthcare-market

IoT in Healthcare Market Insights and Trends

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/internet-of-things-iot-in-healthcare-market-102188

Top Cybersecurity Challenges in Healthcare IoT

https://www.armis.com/faq/what-are-the-main-cybersecurity-challenges-in-using-iot-in-healthcare/?__cf_chl_f_tk=DMIUI709nq0D4AciLc0fFRaTa320TFs5pUz0xcGj7P0-1751651386-1.0.1.1-Y03n_ZoBr3FVHMYssCsbUwrTzCvKDpn2h7f19L7tUms