Research was carried out to investigate the scope and scale, as well as growth prospects for the South African patient monitoring sector. A thorough PESTLE (political, economic, social, technology, legal and environmental) analysis was established for South Africa allowing for an accurate evaluation of the external factors impacting the healthcare industries. Market sizes for the patient monitoring sectors were calculated for 2006 and forecasts determined for the period 2006 to 2012. In addition, market dynamics, such as challenges, drivers and restraints, were also identified.