The Impact of Digital Health within Medtech Recruitment

Digital health and medtech have emerged as a transformative force within the healthcare industry. Digital health technologies, such as wearable devices, telehealth services, and artificial intelligence, are revolutionising various aspects of healthcare delivery, from diagnostics to personalised treatment plans. As investment in digital health continues to soar, a huge demand exists for skilled professionals proficient in digital health technologies. 

In this guide, we will answer the fundamental question of ‘What is digital health within medtech?’ as we delve into how technology dominates the medtech field. We will explore the top 5 ways digital health has impacted medtech recruitment and ways of working within the field. We will offer insight into how investment and market growth alter recruitment strategy and create new digital health jobs and specialisation opportunities. 

First, let’s dive into the question, ‘What is digital health within medtech?’ :

What is Digital Health within Medtech?

Digital health, concerning medtech, is the use of communication technologies to manage and advance various sectors within healthcare, such as diagnostics, personalised treatment plans, and patient monitoring. Digital health technologies, including wearable devices, mobile health, and telemedicine, are being adopted to revolutionise the healthcare industry, providing quality care and optimising overall efficiency and accuracy. 

Digital health technologies and services can include: 

• Artificial intelligence (AI) - AI technology within medtech is used in digital health to perform various tasks. For example, AI algorithms can analyse medical images such as X-rays and CT scans, providing more accurate, quicker diagnostics. AI also has the potential to identify potential risks from analysing patterns in medical records and facilitate personalised medicine approaches. By analysing other data sets, such as biological systems, AI also contributes to revolutionising drug discoveries. 
• Telehealth - The role of telehealth is to essentially deliver healthcare services remotely. For example, there is a huge demand for remote monitoring devices, such as glucose meters and blood pressure cuffs, to enable healthcare professionals to monitor patient health and respond appropriately remotely. 
• Wearable devices - Wearable devices also monitor health signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, and other environmental factors to cultivate effective personalised patient treatment plans. Wearable monitorisation can also facilitate diet, exercise, and lifestyle recommendations. There are also built-in features such as fall detection and emergency services to enhance safety and provide immediate response. 
• Surgical robotics - Machinery such as robotic arms can offer accurate precision and streamlined movements during surgery, creating smaller incisions that enhance healing time and limit tissue damage, health risks, and complications. High-definition 3D cameras also offer surgeons magnified views of the site, enhancing their ability to perform complex procedures accurately.

Now that we have answered the fundamental question of ‘What is digital health?’ let’s explore the key impacts of digital health within the medtech recruitment space:

How Has Digital Health Intelligence Impacted Medtech Recruitment?

According to recent research, the digital health market in medtech is expected to have an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.16% between 2024 and 2028, leading to a market volume of US$275.00bn by 2028. This figure highlights the rapid expansion and adoption of digital health technology. 

The rapid implementation of digital health intelligence has significantly altered medtech recruitment within the industry. As investments in digital health technology increase, recruitment will continue to evolve within the space, altering challenges and strategies, job roles, and skill sets, meaning hiring managers must consider upskilling existing employees and reconsider who to hire for future roles within the field.

Let’s delve into the top 5 impacts that digital health is having within medtech recruitment: 

1. Demand for Talent - Evolving Roles and Specialisations 

The rise of digital health technology is revolutionising the healthcare industry. New technical advancements lead to a significant increase in demand for talent and expertise in creating and implementing advancements within the field. As companies adopt new digital health technologies, new digital health job roles will emerge, and existing employees will begin to see changes in their specialisations. Employees are expected to embrace continuous learning and adaptability to stay ahead of their medtech careers within the rapidly ever-changing field.

Below are some of the most significant changes digital health investment is having on job roles in medtech recruitment: 

• Growing and emerging roles - Digital health roles are beginning to cultivate new digital health jobs, such as telehealth specialists, data analysts for healthcare insights and AI specialists to develop medical applications. While new roles are being introduced, existing roles are also significantly changing. For example, there is a demand for doctors and nurses to adopt digital health skills, such as those used in telemedicine applications, to conduct patient monitoring and consultation remotely. 

• Hybrid expertise - Healthcare professionals are expected to become proficient in new technology to stay ahead in digital health jobs and pave the way for new specialities and medtech career opportunities. For example, cybersecurity expertise is becoming crucial, with specialised professionals assigned to protect confidential patient data and produce secure digital health systems. Data scientists specialising in artificial intelligence in telehealth must also be proficient in analysing healthcare records, becoming an essential hire.

• Continuous learning - Professionals in the healthcare sector must be open to adaptability, continuous learning, and knowledge expansion to keep ahead of the rapidly growing digital health industry. It is important for employees to change their way of working and expand their skill sets within digital health technology to remain at the forefront of their medtech careers and drive innovation within the evolving sector. 

2. Changes in Recruitment Strategies 

While the demand for digital health and medtech talent is at an all-time high, businesses must alter their recruitment strategies to attract and retain top talent to drive innovation and stay at the forefront of the competitive industry. 

Here are some examples of the key recruitment strategies hiring managers can use to attract specialist expertise within the sector: 

• Expand talent pools - Businesses should consider tapping into more extensive, global talent pools and offering remote and open working opportunities to grant access to international expertise. Partnering with various tech communities and educational institutions also opens doors to potential digital health expertise and bridges talent gaps. 

• Offer competitive benefits - Company benefits and perks, such as competitive salaries, remote working opportunities, health insurance, and pension plans, are highly appealing to candidates and will encourage them to apply and accept a job offer. This recruitment strategy effectively attracts and retains top digital talent, equipping businesses with the necessary expertise to drive innovation within the sector. 

• Promote continuous learning and development - Businesses can successfully attract and retain emerging digital health talent by offering training and development programs and internships and providing access to valuable learning resources. This presents the opportunity to upskill existing employees to match the skill requirements of the job role and drive revolutionising services within the medtech industry. 

3. Remote Work and Telemedicine 

Investment and adoption of new digital health technologies and advancements have led to remote working and patient monitoring opportunities, meaning more healthcare professionals are beginning to adopt hybrid working arrangements. 

Let’s explore the key impacts digital health technologies are having on remote working opportunities:

• Telehealth consultations - Digital health technology has enabled healthcare professionals such as doctors to consult patients in remote settings, using various digital tools such as video calls. This limits the need for in-person consultations and makes healthcare services more accessible for those with limited access, making remote working an increasingly popular option. The global Telehealth market was valued at USD 28889.92 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 63376.18 million by 2027, meaning remote work will most likely increase as the market expands. 

• Remote patient monitoring - Wearables and digital health sensors collect real-time patient data that is accessible to healthcare professionals. This means monitoring chronic conditions can easily be carried out in remote settings, where real-time intervention can still be implemented. So, advancements in digital health technology have significantly impacted working arrangements and opportunities for healthcare professionals and medtech recruitment. 

• Data-driven technology - Digital health technologies have allowed healthcare providers to collect and analyse vast amounts of patient data remotely. Healthcare professionals can use interconnected devices to make necessary medical adjustments and develop personalised treatment plans. Cloud-based data access also means health records can be stored and accessed anywhere, as long as there is an internet connection, further facilitating remote work. 

4. Digital Competency

As the digital health market rapidly increases and businesses continue to invest in digital health technologies, employers must alter their recruitment approaches to hire professionals with strong digital competency for digital health jobs and upskill their current employees. 

Here are some examples of how businesses must implement  proficient digital competency within their teams:

• Digital tools - As interactions with patients change, healthcare professionals must be able to navigate digital platforms efficiently. For example, professionals engage with patients remotely and use digital platforms to collect and analyse patient data to cultivate data-driven decisions and personalised treatments. Professionals must develop proficiency in the digital tools needed to access electronic health records to stay ahead in their medtech careers and develop innovative solutions. 

• Understanding data - The proliferation of wearable devices, fitness trackers, and electronic health records generates large amounts of personal health data. Patients now seek to comprehend and utilise this data, meaning professionals must be proficient in data interpretation, critical thinking, and the ability to discern reliable information. The ability to perform data-driven decision and data analyst jobs is essential in keeping up with the fast-paced industry. 

• Collaboration with tech teams - Healthcare professionals collaborate more frequently with data scientists, engineers, and other specialists. Proficiency in digital literacy empowers them to communicate efficiently and 

5. Data-driven Decisions

As investment in digital health technology rises, the demand for professionals with proficient skills in data analysis is huge. Data-driven insights are revolutionising the medtech recruitment industry, where professionals rely on accurate data sets to cultivate life-changing decisions. Businesses must source specialists who are adaptable to new digital health and data-driven technology to stay ahead in their medical technology careers and drive innovation within medical technology. 

Take a look below to gain an insight into how digital health has led to data-driven technology and how it is being implemented within the medtech sector:

• Personalised medicine - Data collection and analysis, using AI and software technology, allows healthcare professionals to collect, monitor and analyse real-time data patterns to form personalised medicine and treatments for patients. Data-driven decisions form the backbone of personalised treatment plans, significantly improving patient outcomes and making it an essential skill for professionals to adapt to as investment in digital health rises.

• Predictivity - Analysing vast data sets can assist healthcare professionals in predicting potential disease outbreaks and carrying out disease risk assessments for the future. Besides clinical decision support, data-driven technology can assist in predicting market trends and performance, meaning hiring professionals such as market research analysts is essential in keeping up with market trends and changes in medtech recruitment. 

• Recruiting methods - Utilising AI-powered algorithms to analyse candidate profiles and job requirements can enhance the matching process and identify strong fits based on digital skill requirements. Adopting data-driven decision-making leads to more objective and informed hiring decisions. Harnessing predictive analytics and drawing insights from historical data on successful hires can assist in predicting the potential success of future candidates based on their digital skills.

To learn more about how digital health technology will evolve and change roles within the sector, discover our insightful guide - The Future of Medical Technology Jobs.

Final Word on the Impact of Digital Health in Medtech Recruitment

Digital health is rapidly transforming the healthcare industry, particularly within medtech recruitment. With the adoption of communication technologies, including wearable devices, telehealth, and electronic health records, healthcare professionals are leveraging digital tools to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and drive innovation. As the demand for digital health talent continues to rise, medtech recruitment is evolving, necessitating a shift in recruitment strategies and the emergence of new job roles and specialisations.

Investments in digital health technology are reshaping medtech recruitment practices, increasing demand for professionals with expertise in digital health jobs and data analysis. Data-driven decision-making is becoming integral to medtech recruitment, with AI-powered algorithms and predictive analytics revolutionising the matching process and enhancing hiring decisions. Moreover, professionals within the sector are expected to adapt to new digital competencies, including proficiency in digital tools, data interpretation, and collaboration with external teams.

As the digital health market expands, businesses must prioritise attracting and retaining top digital health talent through competitive recruitment strategies, remote work opportunities, and continuous learning initiatives. By embracing digital transformation and developing a culture of innovation, medtech organisations can navigate the evolving medtech industry and drive positive change.

Aligning Business with Top Talent in Digital Health

Over the last eight years, our dedicated life science recruitment consultants have connected premier talent with cutting-edge medtech firms, driven by our commitment to staying abreast of advancements in medical technology to offer the best recruitment solutions.

As a leading medtech recruitment agency with an expanding worldwide network offering the latest opportunities in medical technology, we stand ready to guide global businesses to top digital health talent. 

Contact us today to discuss your requirements.