AP INSURANCE GROUP

• AP Insurance Group is an insurance broker whose mission is to find "not only the best price on coverage but also the appropriate amount of coverage" for its customers.
• AP serves the U.S. market and it has 1,567 customers.
• It sponsored the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament (August 1st) and the Hanover Day Road Race (June 22nd).

VITALITY:

• Revenue: $12 million
• Profits: $2.6 million
• New markets: Vitality launched in Ecuador and Pakistan in 2019.
• New product lines: There were no new product lines announced by the company.
• Stated ambitions: They aim to promote health and prevent diseases from happening.
• The Vitality Group is a member of the South Africa-based Discovery Limited, a leading international financial services organization and the originator of the Vitality wellness program.
• Vitality has an interactive and personalized wellness program.
• Vitality Group aims to grow the reach of the shared-value insurance model around globe.
• Vitality has also made it easy for members to engage with all of their health and wellness offerings through their Vitality Today mobile app.
• The Vitality Today app allows users to access all the benefits of Vitality platform on their mobile devices.
• Vitality Group operates in 17 countries including China, Australia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
• Vitality has 1.56 million members worldwide.
• The Ping and Health and Vitality partnership launched in China in 2010.
• Vitality partnered with Myown in 2017.
• They partnered with AIA in 2018.
• Vitality partnered with Generali in 2016.
• Vitality partnered with John Hancock and Manulife in 2016.
• Partnered with Sumitomo Life in 2018. [2]
• Vitality Today has a 4.2/5 star rating, with 1,200 ratings on Apple store.
• Vitality Today has a 4/5 star rating, with 3,290 ratings on Google Play.

KEY ANNUAL REPORT INSIGHTS

• The Arab Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC), also known as the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf, is a private organization founded in 1981.
• Revenue : The health industry of the GCC presented a revenue of US$3.8 billion generated by the countries' healthcare companies.
• Profit : NA 
• Growth : The growth of the health industry in GCC was 16.4% in 2018.
• New Markets : As part of the GCC, the UAE will expand its market offering to medical tourism. Additionally, one of the companies from the GCC, NMC Health Plc. will expand to the Gulf and other countries.
• Product Lines : The health and wellness sector of GCC is divided in private and government healthcare and health insurance lines.
• Stated Ambitions: The GCC seeks to institutionalize, continue, and evolve Arab's old historical, social, cultural, and religious traditions in the six nations, resolve their economic and security challenges, and fulfill the aspirations of its citizens.

OVERALL COMPANY OFFERING & MISSION

• The GCC's offering is the creation of laws, regulations, and agreements between the six states to improve the social and economic life of its citizens.
• The GCC has four objectives as its mission:
1) To enhance interconnectivity, coordination, and integration among the six countries and achieve unity.
2) To strengthen the ties and inter-relations among the people in the six countries.
3) Create similar regulations and laws for all six countries for the fields of financial and economic affairs, communications and customs, commerce, education and culture, information and tourism, social and health affairs, and legislative and administrative affairs, among others.
4) Promote technological and scientific progress in the fields of mining, industry, agriculture, and water and animal resources; create joint integration projects and scientific research centers; and encourage the private sectors to cooperate.

SPECIFIC PILLARS OF OFFERING

• While the GCC works with the different industries of the six countries, for the health and wellness sector it offers mandatory health insurance with a gradual roll out for compulsory health that covers the utilization of medical services at private healthcare facilities, already implemented in the countries of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and, Saudi Arabia.

NOTABLE PRODUCT/SERVICES TO BE LAUNCHED

• Kuwait expects to roll out its healthcare insurance to visitors.
• Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar also expect to implement mandatory health insurance in the upcoming years.
• The GCC will implement capacity expansion plans for an effective delivery system, and PPP models for medical education and digitization.
• Some upcoming healthcare strategies include Health Vision 2050 in Oman, Health Strategy 2016-2021 and Clinical Services Capacity Plan 2015-2025 in Dubai, Healthcare Strategic Plan and HAAD Capacity Master Plan in Abu Dhabi, and National Transformation Plan 2020 in Saudi Arabia.

NUMBER AND LIST OF MARKETS IN WHICH THEY OPERATE

• GCC is a regional organization that operates in six countries: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS / INDIVIDUALS SERVED / PRODUCTS SOLD

• GCC health provides service to 55.1 million individuals in 2017 and expects to increase to 61.6 million by 2022.

SPONSORSHIP OR PARTNERSHIPS

• GCC has partnered with 2,778 companies in the six countries of operation.
• Some companies they work with in the healthcare sector are AI Hammadi Co., Aster DM Healthcare, Dallah Healthcare Holding Co., Gulf Medical Projects Co., Medicare Group, Middle East Healthcare Co., Mouwasat Medical Services Co., National Medicare Co., and NMC Health Plc., among others.
• They expect to have more Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in the following years.
• Dubai partnered with Proximie for the AR platforms implementation in the retail sector.

RETAIL OR COMMERCE INNOVATIONS

• The retail health and wellness sector of the UAE and Dubai has implemented AR platforms, concierge medicine, and smart health systems that will allow access to healthcare professionals and data from any geographical location.

SENTIMENT

• According to the InterNations report, the GCC's performance in the health and wellness subsector has been struggling. As a whole, the health and wellness sector of the GCC received a 51% satisfaction score based on its inconsistent quality of care in the region and 40% satisfaction with the healthcare system.
• The best in the global ranking of the industry is Bahrain in the 25th position, followed by Kuwait.
• Qatar has the most affordable healthcare of the GCC with a satisfaction score of 64% from expats and a 7/10 score of high quality.
• Oman has the best performance in health and wellness from the GCC states, with a satisfaction score of 81%, thanks to its environmental quality.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

Key Annual Report Insights

• Irish Life has been part of the Great-West Lifeco group companies since 2013. Irish Life Health has a 20% share of the Irish health insurance market. In 2018, the company generated a profit of €28.7 million, an increase of €10.4m from 2017 (56% increase).
• The group is one of Ireland’s leading life and pension companies for the last 80 years, helping people in Ireland to “embrace change and build better futures through its innovative products and dedication to customer care”.

Offerings

• Irish Life offers savings and investments, individual and group life insurance, health insurance, and pension products. Irish Life Health offers individual and corporate plans and covers over 100 hospitals, treatment centers, scan facilities, and access to 2,500 consultants.

Specific Pillars

• Irish Life Health claims to be Ireland’s most innovative health insurance company and its focus is to support customers to have more control of their health and well-being. “It combines the experience of two of Ireland’s strongest health insurers to bring fresh options, energy, and innovation to the health insurance market".

Number of Individuals Served

•  442,000 customers.

Market

• Irish Life Health’s business is exclusively in Ireland.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

VERILY:

• Key Insights: Temasek purchased non-controlling interest in the company in 2017 for approximately $800 million. The following year in December, the company was given about $900 million of a $1 billion investment pledge.
• Main Ambition: Its primary goal is to consolidate life sciences and technology to disclose new revelations about disease and health, aiming to renovate the healthcare system.
• Overall company offering & mission: Verily's primary mission is to develop devices and tools that assist in accumulating and arranging health data to both regulate and thwart disease in an effort to ensure that health data is beneficial so individuals can appreciate healthier lives.
• Specific pillars of offering: Verily’s services encompasses categories such as hardware, software, healthcare, and science. For hardware, the company creates powerful and convenient devices meant to assist with therapeutic intervention, while for software, it develops applications and programs to enhance patients' healthcare outcomes. Meanwhile, for healthcare, Verily provides consulting and expertise from healthcare researchers and health economists, among others, and for science, it offers research.
• Partnership: Verily has collaborated with iRhythm for atrial fibrillation and partnered with Dexcom for a miniaturized CGM. The company has also collaborated with Alcon for a smart lens program and Nikon for retinal imaging.

Research Strategy:

NUFFIELD HEALTH

• Nuffield Health's ambition is to "continue to make our services and expertise more widely accessible, across a more diverse population, including those people who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to pay for, or access, our services."
• The company reached 1.53 million people and had 350,000 gym subscribers in the U.K. in 2018.

• Nuffield partners with the University College London, Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Stirling, the Manchester Metropolitan University, and Sport England.

Key Annual Report Insights

• Zeho Health has an annual revenue of $19.8 million.
• The company has 37 employees and a turnover of $2.08 million (€1.9 million).
• Its ambition is to become the leading company in the workplace wellness industry.

Overall Company Offering & Mission

• The company's goal is to transform wellbeing in the workplace and help companies and organizations in creating an environment where employees can thrive.
• It has evidence-based, tailored face to face programmes as well as innovative user focused technology in order to optimise employee engagement and support mental health in the workplace.

Specific Pillars of Offering

• It offers on-site workshops, a workplace success platform, and conducts an in-depth research approach that is suited to the needs of an organization.

Notable Product Launches

• Zevo Health's main product is its workplace success platform through an app. The platform has a psychology-based technology where it can identify deep-rooted thoughts and then helps clients to form healthy habits faster. It is also backed by expert coaches where individuals receive a tailored plan for healthier lifestyle.
• The app connects to fitness trackers to track physical movement and gives access to over one million recipes.
• It also covers mindfulness and meditation, such as how to improve sleep and focus on the workplace.

Number and List of Markets in Which They Operate

• The company is headquartered in Ireland has offices in the United Kingdom, France and Netherlands.
• Aside from Irish clients, such as CPL Resources and Law Society of Ireland, they have international clients, such as Google, Grant Thorton and Circle K.

Sponsorship or Partnerships

• Zevo Health is a partner of St. Patrick's Mental Health Services.

Retail or Commerce Innovations

• Zevo Health, a B2B company, does not have retail or commercial products and only offers workshops and wellness programs to companies using its workplace success platform.

Sentiment

• Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources PLC, mentioned that Zevo Health "has gone above and beyond our expectation," especially in designing a tailored and creative health and wellness solution to the company's diverse workforce. She added that she has no hesitation in recommending Zevo Health to any institution when it comes to wellness.
• Josephine Austin, HR Director of Ocuco, says, "I don’t know how you manage to make every company feel like they are your No.1 customer". They are deeply satisfied and pleased in working with Zevo Health.
• Its app has a 4.1 rating on Google Play Store and top comments include "Could be a good app, but needs a LOT of work: -Data from own tracker (in my case, FitBit) doesn't seem to sync by itself. ", "Great app so far" and "New nourish module is very user friendly."

Additional Findings

• Zevo Health's research approach is made up of 8 stages where health experts work comprehensively in order to understand wellness requirements of an organization. These 8 stages allows Zevo Health in producing wellbeing programmes grounded in psychological theory and uses the data gathered the company's workforce.
• These stages include collecting initial data from the company, defining the purpose of the research, reviewing current literature, creation of hypothesis, creating a comprehensive research design, testing and data collection, analysis of research data, and report of research findings.

Research Strategy

• By April 2019, the company was due to close a round of fundraising to finance its UK rollout and it expected to raise €3 million.
• Spectrum Life offers a workplace wellbeing platform that comes with an app, offers rewards and wellbeing add-ons, has expert digital content, ad functions as a Fitbit and Specsavers store.
• The company customizes its wellbeing strategies and programs for insurers, small & medium organizations, and enterprises.
• Spectrum Life offers both digital and face-to-face services to corporate clients across four pillars that include onsite wellness, digital wellbeing, employee assistance programs, and health screening.
• The company marked its entry into the UK market by unveiling a new digital wellbeing platform.

KEY ANNUAL REPORT INSIGHTS

•  Virgin Pulse and its parent company Marlin Equity Partners have not published any annual reports.
• Virgin Pulse’s estimated annual revenue is $46.5 million.
• The company has experienced rapid global growth in 2017.
• In 2018, Davis Jackson was hired as the Chief Revenue Officer to lead the company’s “global growth strategy and expansion of its industry-leading health and wellbeing solutions and services into new markets and across new channels.”

OVERALL COMPANY OFFERING & MISSION

• The Virgin Pulse platform helps users track their activities, nutrition intake, sleep patterns, stress levels, financial health, and other metrics related to wellbeing/wellness.
• The platform can be accessed via desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
• Its main target groups are employees from organizations of any size.
• The company’s mission is to “infuse wellbeing into the DNA of your organization and empower your people to achieve success every day.”

SPECIFIC PILLARS OF OFFERING

• Core: Identifies employees with “health risks and delivers disease management programs and resources to help them improve their health.”
• Ignite: Uses corporate challenges to “elevate social connections and drive healthy competition across” the organization.
• Engage: Builds “healthy habits across all areas of wellbeing to achieve long-term health and productivity results” for the organization’s entire workforce.
• Hub: The “centralized employee communications and engagement portal” connects employees with relevant programs, benefits, tools, and information.
• The Global Challenge: A turnkey wellbeing solution that equips employees with the “knowledge, tools, and support they need to build healthy habits that last a lifetime.”

NOTABLE PRODUCT LAUNCHES

• Virgin Pulse has not launched any new products recently.
• The platform has added new capabilities such as “health assessments, expert live and digital coaching, and benefits navigation” after merging with RedBrick Health in May 2018.

NUMBER AND LIST OF MARKETS IN WHICH THEY OPERATE

• Virgin Pulse is available in 190 countries.
• They include the United States, Brazil, United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, and others.

NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED

• Virgin Pulse has 4,000 clients (organizations).
• It serves 7.5 million members (individual users).

PARTNERSHIPS

• In October 2017, Virgin Pulse signed a strategic partnership with O.C. Tanner that allowed the clients of O.C. Tanner to access “a new, integrated wellbeing solution.”
• In January 2018, OSU Health Plan announced that the redesigned employee wellness program called Your Plan for Health (YP4H) is powered Virgin Pulse.
• In May 2019, Virgin Pulse partnered with Josh Bersin Academy to launch an Academy program called Wellbeing at Work.

RETAIL OR COMMERCE INNOVATIONS

• Virgin Pulse has not launched any retail or commerce innovations as it does not target the retail/commerce industry.

SENTIMENT

• On Featured Customers, Virgin Pulse has received an average rating of 4.7 from 670 reviews and a customer success award for the corporate wellness category in the summer of 2019.
• The company’s app has received an average rating of 4.8 from over 141,000 reviews on App Grooves.
• Its iOS app has received an average rating of 4.9 from over 100,400 reviews.

STEPJOCKEY

• Stepjockey is a workplace wellness company that has an annual revenue of $5.2 million and has raised $736740 (£600,000) to fuel growth in the organization.

• The mission of the company is to improve workplace health across the world, and the only offering from Stepjockey is the Stepjockey step tracker.

• The company has around 40,000 users and is active in 137 countries.

• Stepjockey has partnerships with Sport Tech Hub and London Sport.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

KEY ANNUAL REPORT INSIGHTS

• Withings is a privately-held company and has not published any annual reports.
• The company’s estimated revenue is $70.7 million.
• Withings, formerly known as Nokia Digital Health, was struggling to meet growth expectations while it was under the umbrella of Nokia.
• After buying Withings back from Nokia in May 2018, Éric Carreel promised to “relaunch the Withings brand by the end of 2018 by following an ambitious roadmap.”
• The Steel HR Sport smartwatch was launched in September 2018, making it the first wearable product released by Withings since Carreel bought back the company.

OVERALL COMPANY OFFERING & MISSION

• Withings’ health and wellness wearables portfolio consists of seven “fitness trackers and hybrid smartwatches.”
• Every product is compatible with iOS and Android and automatically syncs to the company’s Health Mate app.
• Withings’ mission is to make “exercise fun, stylish, and effortless.”

SPECIFIC PILLARS OF OFFERING

• Steel: Standard smartwatch capable of analyzing sleep patterns and tracking activities such as walking, running, and swimming.
• Steel HR: Includes heart rate monitoring feature.
• Steel HR Sport: Includes a “Fitness Level assessment via VO2 Max estimation” and workout mode capable of detecting 30 types of sports/activities.
• Pulse HR: Includes a photoplethysmography-based sensor that monitors heart rate by detecting “variation in the level of blood in the wrist.”
• Withings Move: Includes a battery that can be used up to 18 months without charging.
• Withings Move Timeless Chic: Made with premium materials such as “stainless steel case, brushed dial, mineral glass, chrome indexes, and metal hands.”
• Move ECG: Includes “a built-in electrocardiogram to detect atrial fibrillation.”

NOTABLE PRODUCT LAUNCHES

• Withings’ latest wearable product Move ECG was launched on September 3, 2019.
• It is the “world’s first analog watch to record an electrocardiogram on-demand.”
• The smartwatch includes “three electrodes with two discreetly integrated inside the main body of the watch and the third electrode in the stainless-steel bezel of the watch.”

NUMBER AND LIST OF MARKETS IN WHICH THEY OPERATE

• Withings’ products are available in 36 countries, including 28 European markets.
• The markets where the company’s products are available include France, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, and other countries across Europe, Americas, Asia, and Oceania.

PARTNERSHIPS

• On September 28, 2019, the World Heart Foundation announced that it will be partnering with Withings on World Heart Day to increase awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.
• In the press release, the CEO of Withings Mathieu Letombe stated that the company is “excited to partner with the World Heart Federation for this year’s World Heart Day to help educate people on simple habits they can incorporate into their daily routines – like adding more activity to their day and monitoring their blood pressure from home – to make lasting changes.”
• It is assumed that the partnership is indirectly related to the recently launched Move ECG.

SENTIMENT

• Steel: 3.6 stars from 535 reviews.
• Steel HR: 3.7 stars from 425 reviews.
• Steel HR Sport: 3.7 stars from 219 reviews.
• Pulse HR: 2.9 stars from 1,781 reviews.
• Withings Move: 3.4 stars from 62 reviews.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

FUELBAND

• In 2014, Nike discontinued the operation of its wearable device FuelBand.
• FuelBand was first launched in 2012 and its last edition was launched in 2013.
• In 2014, the product had reached 30 million users and was available in 6 countries: the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, and Japan.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

KEY ANNUAL REPORT INSIGHTS

• Polar has an estimated annual revenue of $193.1 million.
• Polar attribute fitness to a combination of expertise in sports, physiology, and electronics.
• Polar offers various products in the following categories: sports watches, fitness trackers, bike computers, and heart rate sensors.
• Polar cater to all levels of fitness by offering a comprehensive product range, along with essential support and advice, everything from improving an athlete’s sports performance to helping people enjoy a healthier lifestyle and aiding rehabilitation and weight management.
• Polar M200, Polar M430, Polar M600, Polar V800, Polar A300, Polar M400, Polar V650, Polar M460, Polar A370, and Polar Loop Crystal are some of their best offerings.
• The Form Swim Goggles will incorporate the Polar heart rate technology as an attachment starting in November, enabling a new level of training effectiveness and precision for swimmers.
• Their distribution network supplies solutions to over 35,000 retail outlets in more than 80 countries, including the US, the UK, Brazil, Switzerland, and the UAE. Their products can be purchased from their website or online retailers like Amazon.
• Polar has partnerships with LesMills, IBU World Cup, BMC, Europe Active, and GTN.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

ANNUAL REPORT INSIGHTS

• In 2018, Huawei generated a revenue of $105.19 billion, with a net profit of $8.65 billion.
• Some new product lines introduced by the company in 2019 include a 5G flagship smartphone lineup, Harmony OS, and the world's first dual-mode 5G smartphone.
• The top strategic priority for Huawei is cyber security and privacy protection.
• The company majorly operates across three business segments, i.e., Enterprise Business, Carrier Business, and Consumer Business.

HUAWEI'S MISSION

• Huawei's mission statement is, "Bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world."

HEALTH AND WELLNESS OFFERINGS

• The company offers three types of health, wellness, and healthcare products, i.e., wearables, health apps, and healthcare connectivity solutions.

NOTABLE LAUNCHES

• In 2019, the company launched Huawei Watch GT. The new launch shortly became the most successful wearable device, registering sales of more than 2 million units within eight months of launch.

HUAWEI'S USER BASE

• Huawei’s Health app features more than 100 million users.
• The company sold more than 11.3 million wearable devices in 2018.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS SPONSORSHIP

• Huawei has partnered with more than 100 well-known companies, universities, and research institutes for its health and wellness products.

RETAIL PRESENCE

• The company opened a new flagship retail store in Shenzhen, boasting full 5G coverage and an Intelligent Environmental Control System.
• Huawei operates more than 60,000 retail stores, display zones, and experience stores across 170 countries worldwide.

HUAWEI'S PRODUCT RATINGS

• Trusted Reviews has given 3.5 stars to Huawei Watch GT.
• Tech Radar has given 4 stars to Huawei Band 3 Pro.
• Expert Reviews has given 3 stars to Huawei TalkBand 5.
• Google Play features 3.7 stars for the Huawei Health app.
• Apple App Store features 2.9 stars for the Huawei Health app.

KEY ANNUAL REPORT

• Revenue: 174,915,425,000 RMB or 174.9 billion RMB 

• Profits: 22,191,939,000 RMB or 22.2 billion RMB 
• Revenue Growth: 52.6% 
• New Markets: Xiaomi expands to Africa and partnered with IKEA.
• New Product Lines: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 
•  Stated Ambitions: Xiaomi’s ambition is to improve the lives of billions of people around the world and maximize the number of people they reach.

MISSION AND COMPANY OFFERING

• This company has a mission to make amazing products with good prices to make everyone in the world enjoy a better life by using Xiaomi's technology.
• They want to become the coolest company in the heart of their users. Xiaomi pursues innovation and perfection in its products and affects the lives of hundreds of million people.
• Company offering in health and wellness space: Xiaomi Mi Band 1, Xiaomi Mi Band 2, Xiaomi Mi Band 3, and Xiaomi Mi Band 4. It also offers IoT products, internet services, and smartphones.

OTHER INFORMATION

• Specific pillars of offering: The Xiaomi Mi Band is a health and fitness tracker and wearable that can connect to IoT devices.
• Notable Product Launches: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 successfully sold 1 million units on the first 8 days after the release date.
• Markets: Xiaomi Mi operates in 80 countries all around the world such as in Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia, and Africa.
• Number of products sold: Xiaomi has sold 23 million Mi Band units.
• Partnerships: Xiaomi has partnership with IKEA to sell all of its products including Mi Band. It has partnered with Huami to launch Mi Band 5, and has partnered with Google Fit.
• Innovations: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 can be used for IoT products that were launched by Xiaomi and Mi Band 5 has an NFC support.
• Sentiments: Tech Advisor UK gave Xiaomi Mi Band 3 a 4.5/5 rating because of its easy-adjustable band that uses the same material as the hypoallergenic wristbands. Xiaomi Mi Band 2 got a 4.4/5 rating from 159 reviews on Product Review with positive comments for being a great tracker, while one customer mentioned charging it once but lasted for one month.

Key Annual Report Insights

• For the year ended June 30, 2019, Garmin had revenues totaling $3.463 billion at a revenue growth percentage of 6.43%.
• Its profit for that year was $0.575 billion.
• The company's most recent new market expansion was into the luxury watch market with its new line of MARQ luxury watches.
• The company reiterated that it makes products to help customers maximize the time and fulfillment they get from pursuing their passions.

Company Mission and Specific Pillars of Offering

• Garmin hopes that by creating superior sports and health products tailored to be an essential part of their customers’ lives and well-being, they can endure and be the global leader in each of the markets they serve.
• Garmin offers wearable and other technology for tracking fitness in activities such as running (Forerunner Series), cycling (Edge GPS Cycling Computers), indoor exercise bikes and machines, swimming, diving, baseball and outdoor recreation.
• Garmin's most specific offering is wearable watches with WiFi connectivity, used in fitness & activity tracking and all-day health monitoring.

Notable Product Launches

• Garmin has recently launched a new line of luxury watches called the MARQ line in the 2nd quarter of 2019 in order to strategically position themselves within the luxury watchmaking space.

Market Availability and Product Sales Figures

• Garmin is currently active in 5 markets (Europe, Asia, Middle East, North & South America and Australia), 37 locations (including Turkey, Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Brazil and Jordan) and 60 offices around the world.
• As at October 2018, Garmin had sold over 200 million products globally.

Sponsorship/Partnerships, Innovations & Sentiment

• In 2019, Garmin partnered with Verizon to produce its first LTE cellular-equipped fitness watch.
• It has also collaborated with AtlasGo for improved functionality on their wearable tracking tech, and Actigraph, a maker of medical-grade monitors, for access to their health expertise in transmitting health data to consumers in real time.
• A host of Garmin's products, such as the the Fenix MultiSport GPS watches are commercially viable because they provide users with the ability to set their own pacing strategy from the watch, as well as solar charging capabilities and altitude & heat acclimatization.
• The Fenix MultiSport watches mentioned above were released to rave reviews, with T3 giving the device 4.5 out of 5 stars for its PacePro feature, build quality and ergonomic advantages.

Female Health Tracking Efforts

• In April 2019, Garmin added a new feature to its Garmin Connect app to help women in tracking their menstrual cycles.
• The Menstrual Cycle Tracking can be used to log your cycle and include notes about each month, as well as keep track of various symptoms daily, keep records of physical and emotional changes, and view a monthly prediction of ideal fertility days if needed.

Research Strategy

Summary

• Jawbone Health has raised $65.4 million in funding. Executives from SignalFire, Refactor Capital and Polymath Ventures are named among the board of directors.
•  The company wants to establish itself as a subscription-based personalized service that utilizes a person's health data, combined with human and artificial intelligence, to promote healthy living among its members.
• The company will be mostly platform-agnostic, partnering with other device makers. The company has also partnered with Salesforce to use its Health Cloud.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

APPLE

• The annual revenue of Apple in 2018 was $265.6 billion. The company reported $5.1 billion in revenue for wearables in the first quarter and $5.53 billion in the second quarter of 2019.
• The company plans to push into healthcare applications by contributing to health research, development, and science and leverage its enterprise momentum through its wearable product lines.
• Apple operates in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and India region, 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region, 36 countries in Europe, and 40 countries in North and South America.
• Some of the major markets include the USA, UK, Canada, China, Australia, France, Japan, and Hong Kong.
• Apple has around 55 million active Apple watch users.

KEY FINDINGS

• Samsung's mission/goal is to be at the forefront of creating the best products and services to provide consumers with the best satisfaction. Furthermore, it also aims to contribute significantly to society for the common interest.
• Overall, the company offers products according to three main business areas. They are consumer electronics, IT & mobile communications, and device solutions.
• In 2018, Samsung's mobile segment, a super segment to its wearables, generated $91.508 billion (or ￦100.677 trillion) in net revenue while its operating profit was $9.245 billion (or ￦10.172 trillion).
• In 2017, Samsung's mobile operating segment, a super segment to its wearables, generated $94.306 billion (or ￦106.668 trillion). This is a dip in net revenue compared to its revenue in 2018 ($91.508 billion or ￦100.677 trillion), at a calculated CAGR of -5.62% from 2017 to 2018.
• In October 2019, Samsung released Galaxy Watch Active2, a new wearable that provides multiple fitness and wellness functionalities.
• Samsung shipped 10.7 million wearables in 2018, securing the fifth spot behind Apple, Xiaomi, Fitbit, and Huawei, with a global market share of 6.2%.

RESEARCH STRATEGY

SUMMARY

• Fitbit generated a revenue of $1.51 billion in 2018. Its sales declined by 6% YoY and it made a loss of $185.8 million. Fitbit Care, Fitbit Ace, Fitbit Versa Collection were the new product lines launched in 2018.
• The mission of the company is "to help people achieve positive health, wellness, and fitness outcomes by empowering them with intelligent insights, personalized guidance, and the motivation to reach their goals."
• Fitbit sponsors marathon events and is the “Official Wearable,” “Official Sleep Tracker” and Jersey Patch Sponsor of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
• Fitbit's e-commerce site makes personalised recommendations to its users.
• The ratings of Fitbit's most popular products range between 3.4 and 4.1 on Amazon.

NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS

•  Less than 1% of Fitbit's revenue is from subscriptions and as of November 2018, Fitbit Coach had at most 393,000 subscribers.
• On August 28, 2019, Fitbit announced its Fitbit Premium health and fitness subscription service. Since the first subscribers were just enrolled in September 2019, Fitbit has not released subscription numbers yet.
• As of 2018, Fitbit had about 27.6 million active users.

PRODUCTS SOLD WITH SUBSCRIPTIONS

• Fitbit Coach includes the following products:
• Subscribers to Fitness Coach receive audio coaching and more than 40 "expert-designed running and walking workouts."
•  Dynamic body weight workouts are also available through Fitness Coach. These workouts "increase or decrease in difficulty based on" users' feedback.
• Subscribers can also access step-by-step, on-demand exercises "based on duration, difficulty, or exercise type."
• Fitbit Coach will also provide subscribers with recommended workouts based on their Fitbit activity data.
• While working out, Fitbit Coach subscribers can listen to Fitbit Radio, which "offers a variety of popular music stations that range from pop to hip hop."
• Fitbit Coach is priced at $7.99 per month or $39.99 per year.
•  Fitness Premium includes the following products:
• There are nine guided health and fitness programs including "Intro to Healthy Habits," "Get Active," "Understand Calories," "Get More Zzz's," "Beginner Running," "Run Training," "Habits for Restful Sleep," "Kick Your Sugar Habit," and "Kick Your Salt Habit."
• The workouts from Fitbit Coach are included in Fitness Premium.
• Subscribers gain access to premium games and challenges such as "All for One Challenge," "Custom Challenge," and "Get Fit Bingo."
• Subscribers receive advanced sleep features such as "Sleep Score Breakdown" and "Sleep Restoration.
• A subscription to Fitness Premium also unlocks actionable coaching, daily tips and tricks, relaxation tools, recipe suggestions, and "personalized and cross-correlated" educational content.
• Subscribers also receive "access to thousands of dynamic video and audio workouts from certified personal trainers in the Fitbit Coach app."
• In addition, Fitbit Premium has plans to partner with popular brands like Headspace, Daily Burn, and Yoga Studio by Gaiam to offer workouts, exercises, and classes to subscribers.
• In 2020, Fitbit has plans to launch Fitbit Care as part of Fitness Premium, which will be a "personal one-to-one coaching service" for users who need support to help them manage a condition like diabetes and obesity. This will require an additional cost.
• Pricing for Fitness Premium is $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS

• According to Tech Advisor, Fitbit devices are considered among the best activity trackers. 
• The various Fitbit trackers in the market vary in features, prices, and designs to suit every need, taste, and budget.
• Experts recommend at least 150 minutes a week of being active and a standard recommended goal of 10,000 steps a day. All Fitbit devices can measure these steps and fitness metrics.
• The cheapest Fitbit with a heart-rate monitor, Fitbit Inspire HR, sells at a retail recommended price of $99.95. According to Tech Advisor, "this is a great price for a light, a smart-looking device with a solid feature set."

• According to Tech Radar, the best Fitbit devices are Fitbit Charge 3, Fitbit Inspire HR, Fitbit Versa 2, Fitbit Flex 2, Fitbit Versa Lite, Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Inspire, Fitbit Versa, Fitbit Alta HR, and Fitbit Charge 2.
• These devices have been ranked with a consideration to their ability to track heart rate, ability to resist water, battery life, compatibility with various operating systems, prices, among others.
• Tech Radar ranks Charge 3 as the best Fitbit for fitness tracking because of its larger screen as compared to the previous Charge series. The device also has various features, such as a guided breathing, heart rate tracker, improved notifications, swim tracking, among others.

• According to PCMag, Fitbit Versa 2 is one of the best fitness trackers by Fitbit.
• The Versa 2 is classified as the "Editors' Choice" because of its attractive AMOLED screen with an always-on option, many useful fitness features, and apps, long battery life, microphone for Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, among others.
• The editor, however, feels that the downside of Versa 2 is its screen that is not as bright as the original model, and Alexa's responses are text only.  
• The bottom line, however, is that Fitbit Versa 2 feels and looks attractive, is packed with great fitness features, and is "cheaper than the iOS-only Apple Watch."

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

• On the Fitbit Community forum, various users have expressed their frustrations since their smartphones are not compatible with some Fitbit devices.
• According to the clients, they feel as if the Fitbit devices are primarily made for compatibility with Apple smartphones.  
•  "Michiganlady," a user on the platform who uses LG Stylo 4, says, "Everybody doesn't have an Apple phone. Most of the app is compatible with the Apple phone."
• However, CatinaHile Jogger, another user on the forum, says, "My Stylo 4 works." 
• According to these two contradicting statements, it seems that the devices are not tech-friendly, especially to users who are not tech-savvy and may need more support to get the apps working with their smartphones.

• According to the customer reviews on Trustpilot, many users seem agitated by the devices offered by Fitbit.
• A customer, Simon, vents his frustration of the Fitbit device failing to sync with his phone after updating its software.
• Simon has tried all the troubleshooting methods emailed to him by customer support, but they have not been successful, which has rendered the device worthless to him.
• According to the customer, it's evident that his frustration is not about the device not working properly after a software update, but rather by the inability by the customer service to offer a solution.
• Another customer, Andrew Arntfield, says that his Fitbit Alta HR broke down 24 months after purchase, a problem that he believes is common among other Alta HR users who have used the device for the same time.
• Arntfield feels short-changed as Fitbit company cannot rectify the faulty hardware since "it is out of warranty."

1. OVERVIEW

Description

• Jawbone's subscription health platform is a personalized subscription service that utilizes continuous health information combined with human and machine intelligence to remotely take care of clients' health needs on a daily basis.
• It addresses the problem of lifestyle-related diseases that can be prevented if detected early and a subsequent healthier lifestyle adopted.

Mission

• To catch lifestyle diseases early and help people prevent or prolong the onset of it.
• To help minimize the massive costs associated with chronic diseases when medical intervention is not sought early enough.

Vision

• To change the way healthcare is delivered by shifting its approach from a reactive one to a proactive one, using the best combination of both human assistance and artificial intelligence.

2. HOW IT WORKS

• Members wear a monitoring device (band) on their wrist with information being relayed in the cloud.
• The data is processed and relayed to the client through a deeply personalized mobile app.
• Then, human experts review the data and act on it, in order to provide a solution quickly.

3. THE CLIENT JOURNEY EXPERIENCE

• When the clients open the app, they are introduced to Jaw Bone Health as their personalized health and wellness partner.
• They are asked to enter their basic info and insurance details in order to set up an account.
• Then, the account is seamlessly personalized through the use of a health cloud system. 
• Then, data is run through a SMART COACH — which is an AI engine that sifts through data to deliver actualized personalized tips to its registered members and the caregivers concerned.
• Following this, the wrist band is powered up with info as it is being personalized.
• Once fully logged onto the system, a human member of the health team welcomes the client to the jaw bone health platform.
• The client's profile and electronic health record information are populated into the system to help monitor what's going on with him/her.
• Smart Coach continuously scans for various chronic and lifestyle diseases 24/7 so that nothing critical is missed.
• The algorithm of Jaw Bones Health sifts through a number of data input to identify things that might be useful to the client and their care team.
• As a supporting structure, clinical tools are usually provided to help make sense of all the data sources that will be collected.

4. THE RESULTANT EFFECT

•  Clinical validation means users can trust the system to accurately catch health issues early enough.
• The health cloud also ensures that the client's health care team is coordinated securely and enabled with the right tools, helping Jaw Bones in giving its clients complete patient-centric solutions to their health concerns.

ARTICLES AND PRESS MENTIONS-FITBIT (4/1/19 TO 9/30/19)

Fitbit Unveils Cool Apple Watch Rival: Fitbit Versa 2 With Amazon Alexa

•  Forbes published an article on August 28, 2019, that focused on the launch of Fitbit Versa 2 (a smartwatch) designed to take the fitness monitoring to another level. The article considered Fitbit's smartwatch as a rival to Apple's smartwatch.

Fitbit is reportedly considering a sale, Google named as a possible buyer

•  USAToday published an article on September 22, 2019, that discussed a possible sale of the Fitbit company to Google's parent company, Alphabet due to Fitbit's struggles to compete with Apple and Samsung.

Fitbit stock gains after topping earnings and revenue expectations

•  MarketWatch published an article on May 2, 2019, focused on the growth of Fitbit's tracker device sales for the first time in the last 3 years. The article compared the company's revenue for the three years to show growth.

fitbit pay will also work with NYC's subway turnstiles

•  Tech Crunch published an article on May 29, 2019, discussing how Fitbit's mobile payment system called Fitbit pay will also work with NYC's subway turnstiles.

91-year-old accused in killing where Fitbit gave clues dies

•  The Seattle Times published an article on September 12, 2019, discussing how a 91-year old man of California died after he was arrested the previous year in the killing of his stepdaughter. The article mentioned that Fitbit of the stepdaughter helped provide clues to police.

Exclusive: Fitbit considers whether it should explore a sale — sources

•  Reuters published an article on September 20, 2019, discussing how Fitbit has been in talks with investment banks about the probability of exploring sales amid challenges in successfully pivoting from trackers to smartwatches.

Apple, Keurig Dr Pepper, Dollar Tree, Fitbit press U.S. to drop China tariff plan

•  Reuters published an article on June 20, 2019, discussing how Fitbit along with other companies filed a letter of opposition to a Trump administration plan for more US traffic on Chinese goods.

Fitbit’s next Versa smartwatch leaks with Alexa and OLED display

•  The Verge published an article on August 1, 2019, focused on the leaks of Fitbit's next-generation watch Versa. The article discussed the outer appearance of the watch as analyzed through the leaks.

Fitbit craters after cutting guidance

•  CNBC published an article on July 31, 2019, discussing how Fitbit's shares dropped in value soon after the company cuts revenue guidance. The article mentioned the drop to be of 21% in the value of the shares.

Smartwatch Shipments Up 48%: Apple 36%, Samsung 11%, Imoo 9%, Fitbit 5.5% Of Market

•  Forbes published an article on May 2, 2019, that compares the smartwatch market of Fitbit to Apple, Samsung, and Imoo smartwatch market in terms of sales.

Prime Day Apple Watch, Fitbit & Garmin Deals (2019): The Best Smartwatch Deals on Amazon Shared by Deal Tomato

•  PR Newswire in a press release on July 13, 2019, discusses the Amazon Prime Day sales with amazing deals on Fitbit's Ionic, Versa, Charge 3.

FITBIT VERSA 2 REVIEW: SMART FITNESS TRACKER, DUMB SMARTWATCH

•  The Verge published an article on September 9, 2019, detailing the pros and cons of Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch. The article claimed the watch to be a dumb smartwatch.

Fitbit’s Versa, Ionic, and Ace fitness trackers are cheaper for Prime Day

•  The Verge published an article on July 16, 2019, focused on the cheaper prices of Fitbit's Versa and Ionic for Prime Day sales. The article mentioned a cut of $30 in the price of Versa while a cut of $80 in the price of Ionic.

FITBIT now lets you get motivated by your own Bitmoji face

•  CNET in a press release on April 4, 2019, discusses how Fitbit introduced a special feature that lets the users create their face bitmoji on the smartwatch.

How to reset your Fitbit Flex to its factory settings using an official Flex charger and a paperclip

•  Business Insider in an article published on September 5, 2019, provides information regarding resetting the Fitbit Flex to its factory settings using a Flex charger and a paperclip.

Report: Apple Watch continues to dominate wearables market during Q2 in US and Canada

•  9TO5Mac in an article published on August 15, 2019, discusses how Fitbit continues to lack in terms of market shares of smartwatches in the US. The article compares the sales metrics of Fitbit to that of Apple.

Livongo will work with Apple Watch and other wearables to nudge you into healthy habits

•  CNBC in a press release on June 26, 2019, discusses the integration of Livongo, a US-based digital health service with Fitbit aiming to provide alerts about healthy exercise, eating, and relaxation.

Fitbit Versa 2 vs Apple Watch 4

•  Techradar in an article published on September 01, 2019, compared Fitbit's Versa 2 with Apple Watch 4. Additionally, the article also talks about Fitbit's Versa 2 to hit stores in the US on September 15.

Fitbit Charge 3 Now Integrated With UnitedHealthcare Motion Walking Program; Fitbit Inspire HR to be Added to the Wearable Device Program Later This Year

•  Business Wire in a press release on May 14, 2019, discusses the announcement made by Fitbit in the US on the next phase integration of Fitbit Charge 3, the best-selling health and fitness tracker in the US with UnitedHealthcare Motion.

Fitbit Is Having A Huge Father's Day Sale On The Ionic, Versa, And Charge 3

•  Women's Health published an article on June 4, 2019, discussing the huge Father's Day sales of Fitbit's gadgets in the US. The article talks about the discounts being offered on tons of models including the Fitbit Versa and Charge 3.

Fitbit is rolling deeper into health with new programs and hardware after a lackluster Q4

•  Business Insider in an article published on August 29, 2019, discussed how Fitbit is rolling deeper into the health sector with its new programs and gadgets.

Fitbit CEO James Park Announces ‘Premium Subscription’ to Compete With Apple Watch

•  Observer published an article on August 28, 2019, that focuses on the announcement made by Fitbit's CEO regarding rolling out premium subscription service in the US to compete with Apple.

Remote Surgeries

• Huawei’s 5G prospects when it comes to remote hospital surgeries, an aspect of health and wellness, looks positive as many hospitals are benefiting from the fast connection speed and low latency provided by the 5G technology.
• Many hospitals are benefiting from 5G networks. The next-generation mobile technology offers “offers faster data rates, reduced latency, energy savings, cost reductions, higher system capacity, and massive device connectivity,” within smart Chinese hospitals, healthcare, and other related industries, as stated by the South China Morning Post.
• Surgeons experienced the benefits of 5G connectivity at the People’s Hospital of Gaozhou during a surgical procedure conducted on a 41-year old female in the hospital. The “ultra-fast” 5G connection was experienced by a team of doctors who were viewing the procedure 400 kilometers away, on a high definition screen. The 5G connection also delivered advanced telediagnosis to the team of doctors, which included the patient’s dynamic ultrasonography and a three-dimensional rendering of her heart.
• Moreover, 5G connection helped China conduct its first robot remote surgery with the collaboration of China Mobile and Huawei. The surgery was conducted in the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing. The surgery was conducted by a neurosurgeon located 3,000 kilometers away.
• Huawei also helped conduct another remote surgery with the use of its 5G connection. The animal surgery experiment was physically conducted in Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital. The operators were located in the Chinese Southeast Research Institute located 50 kilometers away. The operation was transmitted in real-time using the 5G technology.
• The operation lasted for 60 minutes, and the delay time was low. Because of the fast speed of the 5G connectivity, the surgery was done neatly, and the experimental animals survived the process.

Telemedicine and Telediagnosis

• After the implementation of the telehealthcare pricing and assurance policy last August 2019, many hospitals are benefiting from 5G connectivity as it is currently improving primary healthcare in more than thirty general hospitals and telecom enterprises.
• Huawei’s contribution to telemedicine and overall hospital healthcare had been positive since the start of its research towards 5G and healthcare in 2016. Huawei’s 5G research contributed to various aspects of telemedicine, including telediagnosis, ultrasonic diagnosis, and training online.
• An example of the benefits of 5G technology when it comes to telediagnosis was during an initiation ceremony, in where various institutions such as the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, and other institutions, completed a joint chemotherapy diagnosis for three severe cases. The diagnosis was supported by 5G technology, where pathological and radiological images were transferred and shared at high speeds.
• With the indicated reports above, it is clear to see that the prospects of Huawei’s 5G technology are positive when it comes to telemedicine and telediagnosis in the health and wellness industry.

Huawei's 5G Technology is Improving Overall Hospital Care

• Many hospitals in China are now adapting to 5G connectivity because it improves overall hospital care. In a report by Huawei, more than one hundred hospitals are exploring the benefits of 5G when it comes to overall hospital care.
• 5G is known to have various uses in hospitals such as remote group consultations, remote ultrasound, remote emergency rescue, remote training, logistics, and remote surgery.
•  Intra-hospital monitoring is also a game-changer when it comes to overall hospital healthcare. 5G technology helps various hospitals to “collect, report, and transmit patient information” through the use of wearable devices. Overall, 5G technology made wireless intra-hospital monitoring possible and improved hospital healthcare entirely.
• Additionally, since 2019, the commercialization of 5G had helped develop 5G healthcare technology. It has also been improving at a rapid pace.
• Huawei leveraged this commercialization by working with three major operators in China, improving the company’s prospects and market penetration when it comes to 5G hospital healthcare.

Additional Information

•  Huawei and Philips are developing a healthcare solution that combines machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Huawei’s Healthcare technology has helped develop China’s, Henan Province. Additionally, Huawei’s telemedicine system is used in over 1,000 institutions in China and abroad. It has also handled about 120,000 patient consultations and has created various educational sessions for about 400,000 people. 
• 5G technology is expected to improve healthcare globally in various ways. Its ability to transmit large imaging files can help increase the overall quality of care in hospitals. Additionally, the technology can also help in real-time remote monitoring. 

Research Strategy

Apple Health and Wellness Collaborations

• In October 2019, Meditech announced that it will support 'Apple Health Records' on iPhone. The app will make use of Apple's Health Records API and bring all the customer's medical history in one consolidated view. The functionality will be first launched for Meditech's 6.0 and Expanse platforms. The sensitive healthcare data will be protected by the user's iPhone password, Touch ID, or Face ID.
• Start-up health insurer 'Devoted Health' is offering Apple Watch as a part of its offerings. The company will be first to cover Apple Watch under a medicare plan. The plan is targeted at senior individuals, as seniors' technology adoption has seen recent growth. Apple has been in talks with healthcare plans like devoted for months, to achieve subsidy for its watches.
• Aetna, recently acquired by CVS, has launched the app 'Attain by Aetna' in collaboration with Apple. The app will consolidate patient's data along with activity tracking to offer personalized goals and rewards. The app will give users daily reminders for completing healthcare goals and medical appointments. Rewards will be redeemable as gift cards, or as a discount on Apple Watch's price.
•  Allscripts also collaborated with Apple to bring its Health Records API to some of its EHR suites. The suites will allow iPhone users to track and control their health-related data in one place. The functionality will be available for Allscripts' Sunrise, TouchWorks EHR and Professional EHR products. The health records will help both clients and their patients smooth out the healthcare process.
• In November 2018, UnitedHealthcare added Apple Watch to its wearable devices wellness program. The program called 'Motion' provides users with financial incentives as an encouragement to walk more. Under the program, participants can purchase up to a $300 Apple Watch 3 by meeting 6 months of walking goals. The program is targeted at mid and large size employers with deductible health plans.

GOVERNMENTS AS DRIVING FORCES

• The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in the United States, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, and Australia’s Digital Health Agency are setting ambitious digital health information technology and consumer-empowerment agendas. The aging population putting pressure on the healthcare system, rising chronic health problems, and the need for access to quality health care are driving forces behind the governments' involvement.

• Meanwhile, some countries are looking at digital platforms as a model for affordable, inclusive, and patient-centric care. Estonia, for example, has transitioned to a digital economy and an e-healthy system launched in 2008, covering digital health systems, e-prescriptions, and patient portals.
• South Korea and Indonesia are spreading telemedicine in their remote areas.
• Finland is fostering a "start-up and venture investment culture with the Vertical Accelerator," positioning itself as a leader in digital and personalized health.
• Portugal is implementing a nationwide telemedicine and telemonitoring program across the national health system.
• Japan is developing a portable personal health information system using cloud computing. The Japanese government is building a secure technological foundation in order to run the entire industry off it. The country is also in the process of merging digital services and healthcare.

OBESITY AND LIFESTYLE — EUROPEAN UNION

• Child obesity is a cause of concern in Europe, where one in 10 children between ages 5 and 19 is obese. The situation is even worse in countries like Greece, Malta, and Italy, where more than one in three children is overweight. If the situation prevails, it is estimated that one in three adults will be obese in some European countries by 2025.
• To counter this situation, 31 governmental, research, and advocacy organizations from 16 countries have collaborated to launch a research project, Science and Technology in childhood Obesity Policy (STOP). The project, valued at €9.95m, aims to identify and evaluate the best ways to prevent and treat obesity, particularly in children up to 12 years old.
• The project will also evaluate interventions that can lessen the burden of childhood obesity. These interventions include but are not limited to increasing awareness and studying early signs of biological changes due to children’s behaviors and parents’ choices. In Sweden, Spain, and Romania, an experimental study will be conducted to discover if digital technologies can help these children achieve sustainable improvements in body weight, especially those that are from a poor socioeconomic background.
• The STOP project is not the first EU project seeking to improve health through digital platforms. The Precious project, a part of the European eHealth and Ageing initiative, also aimed at improving motivation using motivational interview and gamification principles and creating a personalized system that is adapted to the user’s goals and preferences. The system then collected information from several devices and sensors to measure food intake, physical activity, stress levels, and sleep patterns.
• "Data-as-a-service platform for healthy lifestyle and preventive medicine (DAPHNE)" was another EU funded project, led by Treelogic (a Spanish health technology company), in partnership with IBM, Atos, Nevet, SilverCLoud, and Evalan working with researchers at the University of Leeds, and University of Madrid, among others.
• The focus of the project was on the use of wearable technology to aware patients of their behavior to ultimately reduce sedentary behavior.
• Furthermore, in 2018, the European Commission stated that its ambitions are to exchange health data across the EU; use shared data resources to allow targeted and faster research, diagnosis, and treatment; and use digital tools for citizen empowerment and person-centered healthcare enabling citizens to monitor their health and adapt their lifestyle. To achieve these ambitions, the EU is facilitating the supply of innovative digital solutions for health.

DIGITAL HEALTH ENCOURAGEMENT — UNITED STATES

• The FDA launched the Digital Health Innovation Action Plan to provide patients quick access to safe, effective, and high-quality digital health products. The plan seeks to issue guidance and clarity on the medical software provisions, launch a pilot pre-certification program, and build FDA’s bench strength and expertise in digital health.
• FDA's Digital Health Program seeks to advance digital health technology by establishing new relationships and fostering collaboration with digital health developers and providers. Regulatory strategies, policies, and processes are also being developed and enforced under the program.
• The FDA is now looking into a “pre-certified” program for eligible digital health developers who demonstrate a culture of quality and organizational excellence based on objective criteria. Pre-certified developers could then qualify to market their lower-risk devices without additional FDA review or with a more streamlined premarket review.
• In September 2019, the FDA released new guidance to further encourage innovative approaches for the development of digital health tools, including the Clinical Decision Support Software (CDS), and changes to the 21st Century Cures Act, outlining software that are no longer considered medical devices, such as mobile apps that are intended only for maintaining or encouraging a healthy lifestyle, and, therefore, are no longer subject to FDA’s regulations.
• The "Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) aims to "improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities through the use of technology and health information that is accessible when and where it matters most".
• Some of its goals are to foster innovation, increase access to high-quality electronic health information and services; accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative technologies and solutions; and invest, disseminate, and translate research on how health IT can improve health and care delivery.
• The US Government is also promoting commercially marketed digital health technologies with the help of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a "World Bank agency that is the largest multilateral investor in private health care in emerging markets, with more than $4·3 billion of financing in over 200 projects as of June 2017."

EMERGING MARKETS

• Despite all the benefits emerging markets could gain from digital platforms, efforts are still scant in African countries, mostly due to a smaller return on investment, limited budget, and lack of infrastructure. While there is evidence of digital health in some countries, for instance, M-health applications in Southern Africa, self-management apps, self-tracking apps, gamification, health and wellness apps, wearables, and health data exchange are still weak compared to developed countries.
• African countries are establishing national eHealth policies and strategies and some are leading the way with digital and mobile integrations. In 2017, the WHO regional office and the International Telecommunication Union signed the Cooperation Agreement in Geneva, to discover the best use of digital services in the continent.
• Meanwhile, in 2017, China’s central government issued the "13th Five-Year National Science and Technology Innovation Plan", which aims to develop technologies for precision medicine, integrate them into a multilevel knowledge database, and create a national platform to share biomedical big data. By the end of 2018, China surpassed the UK and became the second most active country for healthcare AI deals.
• Brazil is also showing progress, with more than 250 health and wellness-focused start-ups emerging in 2018, with the Ministry of Health being an intervener and member of the Brazilian Association of Research and Industrial Innovation in 2018, one of the main programs to support technological research and innovation.
• India has also announced its plan to shift from the current silos systems to a more integrated and inclusive health ecosystem that is developed using the latest digital technologies. Given the widespread adoption of smartphones in the country, the government has adopted a “mobile-first” principle for several of its services. Some apps already launched by the government include the "vaccine tracker, India fights Dengue, NHP Swasth Bharat (for information on diseases, lifestyle, and first aid), and No More Tension App" (stress management related information), among others.

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

• A health and wellness platform is used to help administer and organize a wellness program for a group of people (usually employees). They are used as a tool to support a healthy lifestyle, using behavior change science to educate and promote awareness, motivate people, teach and provide tools and create a culture of healthiness and encourage support.
• WellSteps, a major national provider of wellness programs, says a good wellness platform should contain 10 features: 1) a health assessment; 2) education; 3) tracking for participation and activity; 4) a mobile app which increases engagement; 5) incentives and rewards tracking; 6) step-by-step how to be healthy instruction either via video or live conferencing; 7) tools like equipment or physical guides; 8) campaigns and challenge; 9) encourage social interaction and support; and 10) create a culture of health.
• Current trends in the wellness space as related to agnostic health and wellness platforms include early and often monitoring, intuitive technology, personalized goal-setting, promoting a team atmosphere, real time analytics, engaging and accessible content, highlighting stress, promoting internal champions, support for all generations and a focus on culture.

STRESS/SELF CARE

• A emphasis on stress and self-care is a hot trend for 2019, as more people and medical professionals realize its impact on overall wellness. Health and wellness platforms will continue taking a more holistic view of health, encouraging activities like mindfulness. This ties in with creating a culture of wellness, as people need to see self-care as acceptable and something to be prioritized.
•  Grandview Research found that stress management will be the highest growing segment of the corporate wellness market, especially as companies begin implementing things like on-site yoga.

MARKET GROWTH

•  Grandview Research found that the overall corporate wellness market will reach $90.7 billion by 2026, growing at 6.8% CAGR.
•  ResearchandMarkets has a slightly different figure, $72 billion by 2023, but the growth trend is still evident, with a predicted CAGR of 8%.

INTEGRATED PROGRAMS

• More and more platforms are choosing integrated programs that work on various (and multiple) systems. By using omnichannel engagement and delivery, these programs can increase accessibility and improve adherence.
• Current health and wellness platforms should offer seamless integration between web-based delivery, mobile apps and health technology like wearables.
• People are increasingly relying on devices to monitor their health, including diet, exercise and sleep. Therefore, a robust health and wellness platform would need to be agnostic to work with all of these.
• Engagement is best when it is highly accessible, so a successful wellness program would work have to work with various systems.
• This integrated approach leads to the platforms feeling more personal.

USE OF AI

• Similar to integrated programs, and definitely tying into this trend, is the increased demand for artificial intelligence (AI) to create a robust level of personalization and customization to sustain engagement between human touchpoints.
• AI will not only help build deeper profiles of individuals but custom programs increase engagement and adherence.
• Employees want access to wellness information that is "relevant and timely to them".
• Combining AI with the above trend of integrated delivery creates a better user experience based on the individual's actual preferences and goals.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

• Similar to stress, financial wellness is a prominent trend predicted to gain traction in the industry. Tools like debt calculators, financial counseling, retirement planning and budget education are now being integrated into wellness platforms.
• This is because employers are discovering that financial difficulties or worries are affecting employee performance. Distracted employees have increased errors, reduced productivity and increased absenteeism.
• Financial wellness can help appease anxiety and allow people to focus more wholly on their work.