“Digitization presents great opportunities for the healthcare sector in an increasingly ageing society in which a growing number people suffer from chronic illnesses. Digitization can help diseases to be detected earlier, the duration of hospital stays to be reduced and people's mobility to be extended with the aid of tele-medicine, apps or care robots,” writes the German Medical Association BVMed. The healthcare and medical-technology industries are talking more and more about digitization, the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0. That is because these topics have become highly relevant to suppliers who work with medical-technology providers. New developments in the ‘mega-trend’ of digitization will therefore also be a big part of COMPAMED 2016, High tech solutions for medical technology, to be held from November 14 – 17, 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany. More than 750 exhibitors will participate in the internationally leading industry platform for suppliers to the medical-technology industry, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. COMPAMED will take place concurrently with MEDICA - the world's largest medical trade fair (approx. 5,000 exhibitors).

The reservations concerning digitization that have to date been encountered in the medical technology sector are mainly a consequence of the special structures that exist in the field: “The sector is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses. And they are finding it difficult to identify the potential that networked factories have to offer,” explains Dr. Jens Nitsche, Director Research & Development at the consulting firm Ingenics. The situation, however, appears to be changing for the upcoming COMPAMED, as the IVAM Microtechnology Network, which particularly represents small and medium-sized businesses, has discovered: “A trend that we are currently seeing is 'digitization'. Mobile health applications, the ‘Internet of Things’, ‘wearables’ and smart implants and textiles are playing an increasingly significant role in the product market that IVAM serves. That is why we once again want to give manufacturers of such miniaturized electronic components as sensors and actuators strong representation at our joint IVAM stand,” says Mona Okroy-Hellweg, IVAM Spokesperson. The IVAM joint stand will include around 50 companies in Hall 8a at COMPAMED 2017. “Advancing digitization in the healthcare sector is currently also shaping activities in the development of medical products,” confirms Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf.

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