Telecom spending in healthcare is expected to increase 44 percent over next three years, from $8.6 billion to $12.4 billion. With wireless applications likely to represent two-thirds of that jump, it's not surprising that HIMSS10 would draw out the wireless industry honchos to bang the drum in support of mobile HIT. Although much of what they had to say you've heard before, it's always worth getting their take on the future of the mobile point of care.

For Sprint Nextel chief Dan Hesse, who delivered the opening keynote speech, the biggest changes coming with regard to mobility will entail wireless communication devices and "novel and valuable smart phone contributions in four areas: chronic diseases, pandemics, heart attacks, and remote monitoring for caregivers," reports Healthcare IT News.

Of course, the real shift, according to Hesse, will come thanks to 4G wireless technology, which, in addition to offering "blazing speeds," will deliver increased data security to protect patient privacy. It should also "make it easier for healthcare providers to expand their reach to advanced wireless devices beyond just phones," enabling real-time virtual collaboration, large high-res imaging, and live broadcasting of surgeries.

Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless, whose director of healthcare enterprise solutions John Maschenic tackled "Telehealth and Mobility Solutions for Health Care" during a HIMSS session on Tuesday, stayed focused on what the wireless company is doing in the here and now.

Verizon Wireless offers its healthcare customers a portfolio of products and services that run on the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) network, including: PatientKeeper, Epocrates Rx for Android and Palm OS, Medicine Central and Evidence Central, and Motion Computing's C5 MCA.

Like Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless, which boasts the "largest and most reliable 3G network in the country," has big plans for 4G.

The company plans to launch its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network in 25 to 30 markets later this year. Company officials say LTE will support the future of mobile healthcare technology by offering significantly greater network capacity and speed than today's most advanced 3G coverage.

For healthcare, this means increased support for innovative solutions that will further enhance the quality of patient care and the efficiency of hospital business operations.