Industry Voices—5G has the potential to transform healthcare for rural communities

Just as it promises to increase speeds and reduce latency for consumers, 5G technology also has the potential to transform how healthcare is delivered.

In telehealth, 5G will drive near real-time, high-quality video required for remote medical consultations. By leveraging 5G mobile edge compute, hospitals and doctors can have on-hand access to patient’s high-quality imaging for review without the wait. By extending health care providers’ reach beyond hospitals, telemedicine will improve access to quality care, helping patients get treated sooner and reaching specialists otherwise not available.

Because of its huge potential, it’s not surprising that two-thirds of U.S. health care providers have or are developing telehealth programs. According to a study by Market Research Future, the telemedicine market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5% from 2017 to 2023, driven mainly by increased demand for healthcare in rural areas.