It’s hard to tell how quickly a new technology will expand itsreach, but a number of groups in the past year have attempted topredict the future of the rapidly-growing telehealthmarket.

A report in early 2014 projected thetelehealth –– or telemedicine –– market would reach $4.5 billion by2018. Yet another assessment places the current value ofthe market at more than $17 billion.

The wide variation in assessments is likely tied to methodologyas well as how groups are defining the market. While some groupsuse the term “telehealth” to refer specifically to devices thatpatients can use to interact with or receive services from doctorsor other health care providers, others include widespread wellnesstools, such as wearable fitness trackers.

The latest projection, from consulting firm Grand View Research,puts the future value of the market at $2.8 billion by 2022. That’snot to be confused with a report last month from Grand View thatprojected the entire mobile health market to be worth nearly $50billion by 2020.

In addition to the development of new technologies, the reportattributes the ongoing rise to a growing demand for self-care andindependent-living health care solutions, particularly for theever-increasing elderly population. Not only are providers seekingtelehealth alternatives to increase efficiency, but many patientsare eager for solutions that will allow them to avoid the hospitaland stay at home. Telehealth can allow geriatric patients to getfull-time care without forcing them into a hospital or nursinghome.

The software market is projected to grow by 18 percent. Thegrowth in integrated software, such as examination cameras andtelehealth stations, is fasterthan that of standalone software solutions, says thereport.

Key players in the field identified by Grand View includeGeneral Electric, Bosch Healthcare, Intel, IBM and McKessonCorp.