A wide array of health-related devices and apps made a significant splash at CES last week. In the wake of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report on leading health industry issues, which highlights establishment of the Affordable Care Act and the growing influence of the consumer, GigaOM discusses the boom in digital health with PwC’s Global Healthcare Innovation Leader Chris Wasden.

“2013 is a critical year in healthcare for several reasons, he said — this year, health insurance exchanges are supposed to be ready to come online, doctors are incentivized to meet new electronic health record guidelines and more hospitals will feel the pinch from new penalty fines for high readmission rates,” summarizes GigaOM.

Trends are also leading to consumers expecting to do more with their devices.

“Consumers [think that] with my mobile device, I can control the light fixtures in my home remotely, I can buy and sell goods, I can get directions. I’m able to do all these things and yet, when I walk into [the doctor’s] office, I can’t use my mobile device to do anything,” said Wasden.

In the coming year, consumer reviews on sites like ZocDoc, HealthTap and Healthgrades are likely to play a larger role in how patients decide on coverage and services.

As consumer participation grows on websites and apps, doctors and health care providers will look for ways to increase digital visibility in order to show outcomes. This will take place with “apps, devices and sensor-based technology,” according to Wasden.

Additionally, he anticipates a consumerization of health IT: “The downside of the ‘bring your own device’ trend is that hospitals must contend with security issues. But the upside is that it’s bringing consumer technology into health at a faster pace, which bodes well for patient engagement and more communication between patients and health care providers.”