Retail Channel Will Help Drive Awareness, Sales of Connected Medical Devices, Says Parks

Retail's a small “but growing” sales channel for connected medical devices, reported Parks Associates Monday. Some 41 percent of those who purchased connected medical device bought one either online or at a store, it said; most are bought through care providers, specialty medical equipment stores or insurance-approved online marketplaces. Devices bought most frequently at retail include Wi-Fi scales and smart thermometers, Parks said. Retailers including CVS, Sam’s Club and Best Buy have entered the telehealth space, and Amazon announced Amazon Care this year as its direct-to-consumer online virtual care platform, said analyst Jennifer Kent: “Retailers are in a position to impact the market for virtual care substantially, and data collected from connected health devices could be used during a telehealth consultation to deliver greater insight to both the patient and provider.” Adoption of connected medical devices and usage of telehealth services remain low overall compared to wearables. Some 15 percent of U.S. broadband households used a telehealth service in the past 12 months, but the usage rate nearly doubled between 2017 and 2019, Kent said: “Once users try a service, they better understand the value proposition.” Retailers such as Sam’s Club bundling telehealth visits with additional healthcare services will "encourage more consumers to at least trial telehealth.”