Market size estimates for disease management vary considerably, but are very attractive.  Much of the variability stems from different definitions of what constitutes the disease management market.  Jenks Healthcare Business Report estimated the electronic disease management market at about $350 million annually in 2000, projecting it could grow to the $50 billion to $100 billion range by 2010.  Our internal estimate specifically for the cardiovascular health care provider segment alone yields a market of approximately $215 million annually, based on 21,500 cardiologists in the U.S. and a $10,000 annual licensing fee per physician. 

Another way to consider the market opportunity is to look at the potential cost savings from effective disease management programs.  The Milken Institute in Santa Monica, California has estimated “that a re-orientation toward prevention could avert 40 million cases of seven chronic diseases - cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders and pulmonary conditions - in the year 2023. That would reduce anticipated treatment expenses associated with the seven diseases and improve productivity by $1.1 trillion that year.”

The political winds are favorable too.  The disease management solutions market is targeted to get a significant lift from the policies of the incoming administration which has indicated it will substantially increase funding for health care infrastructure, specifically electronic medical records and information technology solutions that drive transparency, portability, efficiency, and cost reductions.