Spending on mobile IT including hardware, software, and support services within healthcare is set to rise globally to $2.7 billion by 2010, according to a market report by U.K.-based Juniper Research.   

Separate research by the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) indicates that healthcare professionals view wireless technology as central to improving patient care. Wireless tools also are viewed by half of all hospitals as the No. 1 emerging technology planned for deployment over the next two years.

Juniper’s research sees the potential for wireless technology applications throughout healthcare services, with increased use of electronic health records as a major contributor regarding the adoption of wireless PMS (patient management systems) – predicted to elevate across the glove from $289 million last year to $1.51 billion by 2010.

Because of large deployments, wireless technology usage will likely reach 85 percent of primary healthcare professionals in North America, and 95 percent in some European systems within some sectors, according to Juniper.

Juniper does not just forecast an increase in use of wireless technology for patient management but, rather sees usage rising across the board. For example, wireless can be used for prescribing and should see a significant increase from $11 million to $445 million – which could result in as many as 2 million fewer adverse drug events each year. Regarding lab applications, workings in that industry should expect an increase from $3.4 million to $232 million between 2005 and 2010.