With Fitbit Acquisition Google Furthers Its Move into Healthcare
Google just bought Fitbit for $2.1 billion. Now what? Find out how Google is betting big on the future of healthcare and could soon transform patient care
They’re expanding resources to help doctors deliver more informed care.
Under its parent company, Alphabet, Google’s purchase of cutting-edge fitness tracker company Fitbit recently shows its continued investment in the health tech space and possibly the future of healthcare around the world.
And honestly, there’s a lot here for health-conscious, business-focused people like you and me to get excited about.
How Fitbit Furthers Google’s Healthcare Investment Goals
Fitbit has gone beyond helping people take more steps on a pedometer. It’s invested in technology and performed the studies to showthat many of its health monitoring tools are comparably accurate to medical devices like EKGs and sleep monitors.
They can help reduce stress levels, enhance heart health, and more.
Through their dedication to providing accurate health data, Fitbit has been able to nuzzle its way into the hearts of insurance companies looking for more effective ways to help those with chronic conditions manage their conditions to bring down costs.
Through this acquisition, Google now obtains those partnerships and can further invest its resources into legitimizing Fitbit data and putting it to work to help people get healthier.
A Bet on Healthcare and Our Future
This couldn’t come at a better time. Analysts estimate that over 50% of US adults will be obese by 2030 if something doesn’t change that trajectory. And life expectancies are dropping in the US as well as other similar countries for the first time.
We face an unprecedented health crisis.
Google obviously sees an opportunity to both solve a problem and benefit financially. I wouldn’t hold it against them. Would you?
It may not be long before Google Healthcare becomes a major branch of the Alphabet company. Google is actively positioning itself throughout the healthcare space in many directions.
1) They’re currently studying how advanced AI technologies can help diagnose and manage diseases like:
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s
- Heart disease
2) They’re currently building out their healthcare data infrastructure that will have the potential to both support big health systems and improve patient care through machine learning.
3) They’re further investing in and acquiring health software and hardware. Fitbit is just one of many.
I personally look forward to seeing how health tech, chronic disease management, and patient care continues to improve in the coming years and will continue to keep you informed and technology trends you’ll get excited about and cybersecurity updates to keep you safe as you explore new technologies. Follow my blog to get the latest.
