"The healthcare sector is going through a period of exceptional change," said Franz-Robert Klingan, a partner with Bain & Company. "The collection of data and the way it is analysed will make diagnosis faster and smarter. Digital healthcare is accelerating on all fronts after the sector has been relatively slow to respond, particularly in Europe."

For private equity, Klingan adds, healthcare has long been an attractive area. Today, both relative and absolute investment levels are at all-time highs and expected to grow given the recession-resistant nature of the sector and prevailing demographic trends. However investable, scale assets are limited and this, combined with competition from corporates, results in high multiples being paid for deals.