Ubiquitous Healthcare - Do the Health and Information Technology Sectors Converge?

摘要

Processes of convergence strongly influence the development of several industries and modern technologies as the example of convergence of the computer and telecommunication industry into one sector of information and communications technology (ICT) shows. These convergences are a substantial uncertainty for established companies in both established areas. Ubiquitous healthcare is a current trend in health technology which might be the expression of such a convergence. Therefore, the question whether this trend is an expression of an overall industry convergence between the ICT and the health sector is investigated in this study. Publication and patent data-based analyses are carried out for that purpose. An industry/technology sector classification as well as an IPC-co-classification analysis reveal clear signs of convergence between the ICT and health sector on the scientific and technology level. The results are critically discussed and theoretical and practical implications are given.