Tech-savvy patients from Gulf to China to drive Philips health

Progressive thinking: Younger doctors and patients are more willing to consider data-sharing, which leads to lower costs and better medical outcomes, said Van Houten.

AMSTERDAM:  Demand from technology-savvy patients seeking control over their medical data will overcome privacy concerns about the "connected" products and services Philips is now focused on, its chief executive said.

The success of the Dutch company's decade-long transition from a consumer goods giant specialising in lighting to a seller of networked medical products will depend in part on whether Philips CEO Frans van Houten's vision for healthcare is right.