Primary care continuity allows physicians to develop a longitudinal awareness that no episodic encounter or health tech tool can replicate. Over time, physicians learn what is normal for each patient and what represents meaningful clinical change. Subtle physiological shifts, early symptoms or emerging risk factors appear not as isolated data points from a blood exam, but as part of a social narrative unfolding across time. Early recognition allows earlier intervention, often before disease takes its profound toll.

Clinical evidence confirms the protective effect of continuity. It’s not a matter of opinion. A systematic review published in BMJ Open found that patients with sustained continuity of care had significantly lower mortality than those with fragmented care. Continuity did not just improve satisfaction; it altered survival. The physician who knows the patient can detect disease earlier and guide care more effectively.

Listening allows physicians to detect patterns that laboratory values alone cannot explain. Patients share information differently when they believe that their physician understands them and remembers their history. This sustained awareness allows physicians to identify emerging illnesses without relying solely on reactive diagnostics. Continuity transforms listening into clinical intelligence and a deeper care partnership.

In Healing the Sick Care System: Why People Matter, which has become a surprise Amazon bestseller, one insight repeatedly emerges: patients do not seek care only for treatment; they seek reassurance that someone who knows them is guiding their journey. Physicians who listen across time accumulate knowledge that cannot be captured in a chart alone. That memory allows earlier recognition, more accurate interpretation, and wiser intervention. Healing begins in that continuity of understanding.

Transactional Care Solves Symptoms but Sacrifices Understanding

Health has, for some time, been undergoing a structural shift toward transactional encounters. Walk-in clinics, urgent care centers, and virtual platforms provide speed and accessibility that patients value. These models address immediate symptoms efficiently and fill important gaps in care delivery. Accessibility has improved, yet continuity has weakened.

Transactional medicine treats episodes rather than trajectories. Each encounter begins without the benefit of longitudinal understanding. Clinical decisions are made with time-stamp specific knowledge of how symptoms emerged or how physiology has changed over time. Care becomes reactive rather than interpretive.

Research demonstrates the consequences of this fragmentation. Studies published in the Annals of Family Medicine show that sustained primary care continuity reduces hospitalizations and lowers healthcare expenditures. Early recognition prevents complications that require more invasive, costly interventions. Fragmentation delays recognition and increases clinical risk.

In fact, physicians in the vanguard of building relationships encourage their patients to ask questions.  In their co-authored book Let Patients Help! A “Patient Engagement” handbook – how doctors, nurses, patients and caregivers can partner for better care by “e-Patient Dave” deBronkart with Daniel Z. Sands, MD, MPH, the founder of the Society for Participatory Medicine, offer 10 suggestions that clinicians say to encourage patient engagement.

This shift also alters how patients engage with care. Connections that develop over time can be lost quickly when continuity disappears. Patients become consumers navigating isolated services rather than partners guided across time. The clinical relationship weakens, and with it the interpretive depth that makes prevention possible.

Health systems globally recognize the value of continuity. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based international organization that promotes policies to improve economic and social well-being globally, reports that hospital admissions for chronic diseases, often preventable through effective primary care, account for a substantial share of healthcare utilization. Systems that preserve physician-led primary care continuity achieve better outcomes and greater efficiency. Relationship stabilizes care.

Innovation Requires Connection to Fulfill Its Potential

This shift toward transactional care carries life-threatening implications that extend far beyond the patient experience. It also directly affects whether health innovation fulfills its promise or becomes a compensatory tool addressing fragmentation. Innovation depends on context to generate meaningful insight. Context emerges through continuity. That context can devalue life-saving innovations.

Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and remote monitoring technologies are designed to detect patterns across time. These tools require longitudinal clinical awareness to distinguish meaningful change from statistical variation. Physicians who know their patients can interpret innovation correctly and act earlier. Innovation becomes transformative when anchored in relationship.

Fragmented care weakens this interpretive capacity. Data collected across disconnected encounters lacks coherence. Predictive tools lose precision when longitudinal context is absent. Innovation becomes reactive, identifying disease after symptoms emerge rather than predicting disease before it develops.

Technology achieves its highest value when it extends the physician’s ability to listen and observe. Remote monitoring allows earlier recognition of physiological change. Predictive analytics strengthens preventive intervention. Innovation amplifies continuity when guided by sustained physician leadership.

Team-based primary care models reflect this principle. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants expand access while physician leadership preserves interpretive continuity. Research published in Medical Care Research and Review confirms that coordinated team-based care maintains strong clinical outcomes. Physician oversight ensures that innovation remains integrated within longitudinal care. It also improves health professional job satisfaction and reduces burn-out.

Innovation cannot replace the relationship at the center of medicine. Algorithms detect patterns but do not understand meaning, and they do not strengthen physician/patient ties. Devices collect data, but do not know the patient behind the data. Physicians translate information into guidance by integrating technology with human understanding.

The future of health innovation depends on preserving continuity between patient and physician. Technology deployed within sustained relationships strengthens prevention and improves outcomes. Technology deployed within fragmented systems often compensates for structural weakness rather than transforming care. Continuity determines whether innovation fulfills its promise.

Health systems now face a defining moment. Transactional care offers speed and convenience. Relational care offers understanding and prevention. Innovation will achieve its full potential only when it strengthens the continuity that allows physicians to listen, learn, and guide patients across time.

Healing begins with being heard. Health technology succeeds when it helps physicians listen more deeply and act more wisely in the service of the people who entrust them with their care.

The post How Transactional Medicine Threatens the Future of Your Health appeared first on Medika Life.

According to the report, global investment in Consumer Health Technology grew by 9% in 2024, totaling $4.5 billion. This increase reflects investor confidence in technology-driven health solutions and signals a shift toward consumer empowerment. However, despite the surge in funding, the report underscores persistent challenges, including a clinical validation gap that could hinder long-term adoption and trust.

“The Consumer HealthTech sector is at a pivotal moment,” said Julien de Salaberry, founder and CEO of Galen Growth. “We are witnessing the continued health-sector evolution where consumers seek to secure stronger ownership over their health and well-being. People who succeed in using their buying power to secure innovation with clinical validation will shape the future of health.”

Investment and Market Dynamics

Galen Growth’s report reveals a complex funding environment where record investment is contrasted by uneven access to capital. While total investment rose to $4.5 billion in 2024, the market remains heavily weighted toward early-stage ventures:

• 75% of Consumer HealthTech ventures are still in the seed stage, highlighting the challenge of securing Series A and beyond.
• Only 25% of ventures incorporated in the last seven years have progressed to Series A or beyond.
• 11 mega deals (valued at over $100 million) accounted for 37% of overall funding, reflecting investor appetite for mature ventures with proven models.

Regional Investment Trends

North America remains the dominant market, capturing 64% of total funding and securing 78% of global venture capital deals. The region’s leadership in funding reflects its mature digital health ecosystem and strong investor appetite for high-growth, technology-driven health solutions.

Europe attracted 24% of global funding, focusing on corporate health and wellness solutions. In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region secured 12% of international funding, driven by increased investment in preventive health marketplaces and telemedicine.

Notable Deals from 2024:

• Neko Health secured a $260M Series B for its AI-driven preventive health model, which is focused on early detection and personalized treatment recommendations.
• eGym, a global fitness technology leader, raised $201M in a Series H to expand its connected training platform and enhance its AI-powered coaching system.
• Spring Health, a mental health platform, raised $100M in a Series E to scale its personalized therapy and mental wellness offerings.
• Flo Health, a women’s health app focused on menstrual cycle and fertility tracking, raised $200M in a Series C to expand its product offerings and global reach.

Mental Health Takes the Lead

Mental health emerged as the dominant focus in Consumer HealthTech in 2024, attracting 29% of total funding—underscoring the growing recognition of mental well-being as a vital part of overall health.

“Consumer HealthTech has the power to democratize health by giving individuals greater control over their health,” added de Salaberry. “But for this potential to be realized, ventures need to address the division between the haves and have-nots and the clinical evidence gap to demonstrate measurable health outcomes.”

The rise in mental health investment reflects a shift toward more personalized, technology-driven care models. Consumers increasingly expect the same level of convenience and personalization in health that they experience in other industries, such as retail and finance. This demand has spurred innovation in teletherapy, mental health apps, and AI-driven cognitive behavioral therapy.

Key Therapeutic Areas:

• Women’s Health saw a surge in funding, capturing 20% of total investment. Startups like Flo Health are capitalizing on the growing demand for reproductive health and fertility tracking.
• Preventive Health attracted 17% of funding, driven by the rise of AI-powered diagnostics and real-time health monitoring.
• Sleep and Cognitive Health solutions are also gaining traction as consumers seek to improve overall well-being through better sleep quality and cognitive enhancement.

Strategic Partnerships and M&A Activity

Partnerships and consolidation play a critical role in the sector’s growth:

• More than 900 new partnerships were formed in 2024, signaling growing collaboration across the health ecosystem.
• Venture-to-venture acquisitions accounted for 79% of M&A activity, highlighting how companies are using consolidation to strengthen market presence.
• Notable partnerships included:
  • Pfizer partnered with GoodRx to improve medication management and strengthen direct-to-consumer outreach.
  • Amazon expanded its mental health footprint through a strategic partnership with Talkspace for teleconsultation services.
  • Mayo Clinic partnered with Prenetics to advance genomics-based health solutions and expand access to precision medicine.

This trend toward consolidation reflects increasing pressure to scale solutions and navigate complex regulatory and reimbursement landscapes. More prominent players are looking to leverage established consumer brands and data platforms to enhance their competitive positioning.

Issues and Prospects

Despite the rise in funding and market activity, the Consumer HealthTech sector faces critical challenges:

• Clinical Validation Gap: The report highlights that Consumer HealthTech ventures exhibit an 11% lower clinical evidence signal than the broader digital health ecosystem. This gap raises concerns about scientific rigor and long-term adoption.
• Funding Bottleneck: Early-stage ventures struggle to secure Series A funding, with most capital concentrated in late-stage deals.
• Accessibility and Equity: Unlike traditional health, which is often covered by insurance, Consumer HealthTech solutions rely heavily on out-of-pocket spending. This creates a divide between those who can afford premium health services and those who cannot.

“The health sector cannot afford to become a system of haves and have-nots,” said de Salaberry. “Consumer HealthTech ventures must work to close the accessibility gap by developing affordable solutions and proving their clinical value.”

Future Trends and Market Outlook

The Galen Growth report identifies several key trends shaping the future of Consumer HealthTech:

• AI-Driven Personalized Medicine: AI-powered diagnostics and health assistants enable hyper-personalized treatment plans based on genetic, biometric, and behavioral data.
• Hybrid Models: Successful Consumer HealthTech ventures increasingly integrate with traditional health systems to improve credibility and adoption.
• Regulatory Oversight: Governments and regulators will likely increase scrutiny over health claims and data privacy, creating startup opportunities and challenges.
• Equity and Affordability: To achieve long-term impact, Consumer HealthTech solutions must address disparities in technology access and affordability.
• Digital Therapeutics: Prescription-based digital interventions for managing chronic conditions are poised to bridge the gap between technology and evidence-based care.

A Defining Moment for Consumer HealthTech

Consumer HealthTech represents a seismic shift in health—moving from reactive to proactive care. As Galen Growth’s report reveals, the future of health lies in empowering individuals with technology-driven solutions that provide real-time insights and personalized care.

The rise of AI-driven diagnostics, wearable technology, and telemedicine enables consumers to monitor and manage their health in real time. This shift toward preventive care improves outcomes and reduces the burden on traditional health systems.

However, sustainable growth requires stronger clinical validation and deeper integration with established health frameworks. Consumer HealthTech ventures must navigate the complexities of reimbursement, regulation, and market competition to secure long-term success.

The Galen Growth report makes it clear: The future of health belongs to those who empower consumers—and prove it works.

The post Consumer HealthTech: A Data-Driven Evolution in Health Engagement appeared first on Medika Life.

For too long, “AI” has been the abbreviation for “artificial intelligence.”  Reject that label!  It’s not only limiting – it’s incorrect.  The information gathered and parsed comes from real-world sources – patients, payers, product innovators, policymakers, and providers.  It is composite data, once called “big data,” sliced and diced through machine learning and then applied to good, sometimes life-sustaining use.  It’s time we acknowledge how “AI” has become a practical source for talent and organizational enhancement.

Health Enters the Age of “Augmented Implementation”

Here’s a dive into 10 transformative examples of how “AI” enables people to tap into their significant potential to heal and accelerate care delivery.  Change is always hard, even when the advantages appear evident, as it requires revamping processes and policies.  However, as innovation theorist, AI philosopher and Nosta Lab Founder John Nosta reflects: “Culture crushes innovation.” 

Nosta shares with Medika Life readers: “AI, particularly through large language models (LLMs), is revolutionizing healthcare by fostering ‘learner-centricity.’ This approach places physicians, patients, and healthcare systems at the center of a dynamic, personalized learning process. LLMs provide tailored, context-specific knowledge, enabling real-time insights and deeper understanding. Whether it’s a clinician refining diagnostic skills or a patient comprehending treatment options, LLMs create a collaborative learning ecosystem. This synergy enhances the healthcare experience, empowering all participants through shared knowledge and continuous growth.”

The culture of medicine is storied and slow-moving. Still, these 10 approaches to weaving AI into the health system are piquing people’s priorities and enthusiasm for greater use. The wave of universal acceptance is underway.

1. Revolutionizing Patient-Clinician Interaction

Ambient Listening Technologies (ALTs) are modernizing how clinicians transcribe medical documents – by capturing, recording, managing, and analyzing audio data from the patient exam room. AI transcription tools like the Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) from Microsoft streamline recording tasks that once consumed chunks of a clinician’s day. AI-driven transcription systems record and summarize patient-clinician conversations, enabling providers to focus on patients rather than documentation. The plus for doctors is reduced admin time; for patients, it provides the benefit of ensuring their provider has real-time notes for follow-up care delivery.

2. AI-Enhanced Diagnostics are Challenging the Future of Illness

Technologies like DeepMind AlphaFold provide unprecedented insights into protein structure prediction, accelerating drug discovery and enhancing diagnostic tools for diseases like Alzheimer’s and certain cancers. Anyone tracking the field of AI-empowered diagnostics would do well to keep a close eye on innovation in this space.  The 2024 Chemistry Nobel Prize was awarded to John Jumper, PhD, and Demis Hassabis, PhD, at Google DeepMind in London for developing this game-changing AI tool for predicting protein structures.  The Galien Foundation Prix Galien is often called the Nobel Prize of the Life Science industry.  Viz.ai, a pioneer in AI-powered disease detection and intelligent care coordination, received the 2024 Prix Galien USA Award for its Viz HCM™ (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) module.  Keep an eye on these companies and their advances.

Rob Havasy, HIMSS Senior Director of Informatics Strategy, representing one of the most influence professional communities – the leaders from health institutions and governments worldwide – offered this exclusive comment to Medika Life:

“AI has been part of many radiology workflows for years, but data from our HIMSS Market Insights surveys show one of the fastest growing applications right now is ambient AI and other AI tools to relieve some of clinicians’ documentation burden. These tools either help clinicians capture information from a visit or streamline patient-provider communications by creating discharge instructions or helping to manage overflowing inboxes.”

3. Accelerating Drug Discovery and Clinical Trials

AI is catalyzing innovation in drug development, a process that traditionally spans over a decade. Platforms like Hong Kong-headquartered Insilico Medicine and companies like Exscientia are applying machine learning to design drug molecules faster than ever. Meanwhile, decentralized trials are becoming more accessible through collaborative pathways set by organizations such as the Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance (DTRA), a central gathering point for regulators and industry leaders to shift the conversation from theoretical to operational regarding implementation.

Dr. Amir Kalali and Craig Lipset, pioneers in clinical trial innovation, champion this collaborative model that draws in biopharma-sector leaders, CROs, and FDA and EMA regulators. The DTRA Co-Chairs have long advocated that decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) supported by AI tools broaden access and reduce biases. These collaborations demonstrate how AI unlocks new efficiencies and enables more inclusive participation, particularly among underrepresented populations.

4. Predictive Analytics for Patient Safety

Predictive analytics powered by AI is transforming patient safety in hospitals. For example, Qventus predicts and mitigates perioperative complications. At the same time, companies like Stasis Labs, Current Health, and Vytrac provide real-time in-patient and at-home monitoring, sending vital sign data to nurses and doctors so they know their patient status and triage care.  Amy Abernathy, MD, PhD, has served in several high-profile roles that cut across the health ecosystem, from Principal Deputy Commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is now Co-Founder of Highlander Health, a bold new organization advancing clinical research and patient care through learning labs, investments, and philanthropy, comments: “AI is transforming how we approach patient safety by intervening in a proactive measure rather than a reactive one.”

5. Addressing Mental Health Needs with AI

Mental health care is becoming more accessible with AI-driven platforms such as Woebot Health and Wysa. These companies are using AI to provide scalable, CBT-based support for conditions like anxiety and depression, often meeting the needs of underserved populations without ready access to mental health services. Another approach led by GrayMatters Health enables mental health professionals to address PTSD through neuromodulation – an FDA-approved for-use approach designed through years of data aggregation.  Noted digital health pioneer, inventor, and  Founder and Curator for NextMed Health, Daniel Kraft, MD, notes: “AI-powered mental health tools are filling the gaps in traditional care delivery, providing immediate, accessible, and empathetic support when people need it most.”

6. Driving Precision Medicine

Precision medicine, enabled by AI, is bringing targeted therapies into sharper focus. Collaborating with Roche, Foundation Medicine uses genomic profiling to guide cancer treatments. Similarly, Tempus leverages AI to connect molecular and clinical data, accelerating therapeutic breakthroughs. The combination of high tech with high science has enabled scientists with support from private equity and academic institutions worldwide to create companies at the vanguard of the discipline in the UK Golden Triangle, Southeast Asia, and the Cambridge/Boston innovation hub. LABIOTECH author Willow Shah-Neville wrote a concise report of 12 biotech unicorns rated in order of their valuations according to CB Insights. It is worth examining how these fast-moving innovators apply information technology to augment their scientific implementation.

7. Streamlining Hospital Operations

AI tools enhance hospital operations, optimize workflows, and improve patient outcomes. For instance, GE Healthcare Command Centers use predictive analytics to manage patient flow. Other companies, such as LeanTaaS, with its iQueue platform, improve operating room and infusion suite scheduling. Hyro is a much-watched hospital workflow optimizer with services that cut across administrative and clinical departments and add AI to Epic workflows, improving access to care. Edward Marx, a global healthcare consultant and former Cleveland Clinic CIO, emphasizes: “Operational AI is reshaping how hospitals function, eliminating inefficiencies and ensuring resources are used where they’re needed most.”

“Top Trends in Healthcare and Life Sciences” Microsoft video episode titled “The power of information to improve healthcare,” Gil Bashe, Chair of Global Health and Purpose at FINN Partners and Medika Life Editor-in-Chief, joins Tom Lawry, formerly National Director for Artificial Intelligence Health and Life Sciences at Microsoft and now Founder of the AI consultancy Second Century, talk about the opportunities and obstacles in health, AI, and the power of information.

8. Promoting Health Equity Through AI

Medtronic AI-enabled remote monitoring devices are helping bridge the care gap in underserved areas. Similarly, PathAI, in collaboration with Quest Diagnostics, is leveraging “machine learning to improve diagnostics in resource-limited settings, ensuring equitable access to healthcare.  Michelle Longmire, MD, a Stanford-trained dermatologist and founder and CEO of Medable, which offers the research-based biopharma industry an array of research tools with a unified platform, adds: “AI’s potential lies in its scalability, which can extend high-quality care to populations previously overlooked by traditional systems.”

9. Harnessing AI for Population Health

AI is transforming public health by integrating social determinants of health into predictive models. Companies like Epic Health Research Network and Innovaccer are helping health systems anticipate and address population health challenges more effectively. Michael Rosenblatt, MD, with his storied career as a scientist and teacher, having served as Chief Medical Officer at Merck and Flagship Pioneering and now as Co-Chair of the Galien Foundation, notes: “AI-driven insights empower health systems to deploy resources strategically, reducing disparities and improving outcomes across entire communities.”

10. Empowering Patients with Wearables and Digital Health Platforms

Wearables like the Apple Watch have popularized health tracking. Still, more specialized solutions, such as AliveCor and Biobeat are examples of advanced monitors delivering medical-grade heart data enabling patients to access, manage, and share their data and connect with their physicians. Additionally, platforms like the Belong.Life Dave AI focuses on cancer care by guiding patients with tailored recommendations, educational content, and peer support.  David E. Albert, MD, Oklahoma native, physician, inventor, and serial entrepreneur, is the founder of AliveCor and a long-time AI champion, says, “AI will play a role in reducing data into manageable and actionable information for clinical decision-making.”

Looking Forward: A Future Shaped by Collaboration

AI progress in health settings during the past five years illustrates what’s possible when technology meets the demands of patient care, equity, and innovation.  

Is “AI” still threatening and misunderstood?  Absolutely! The term “artificial intelligence” is a threatening misrepresentation of the idea that people will become secondary to machines processing vast amounts of data (largely) accurately and in a blink. However, technology is continuously called upon to automate repetitive tasks.  It does not alone transform people’s health or the fractured health ecosystem – instead, it’s the human desire to question, collaborate, and generate shared – augmented – wisdom that is core to implementation.  

“Driving measurable value at scale with AI is less about the right technology and more about the right leadership. Is there a sufficient level of AI understanding at all levels of the organization?  Is your culture change-ready or change-resistant,” reflects Tom Lawry, principal of Second Century.  Is AI part of your HR plan? In the end, AI success cannot be delegated. Leadership is the catalyst for unlocking its true potential. This requires vision, strategic alignment, and a commitment to empowering teams to innovate and execute with purpose.”

As more people dip their toes into the tech waters, comfort levels are increasing rapidly. Remember the 15-year time gap between Apple’s failed Newton and the early iPhones? Once the idea of a smartphone caught on, it became a personal must. According to a Pew Research Center Survey conducted May 19 to Sept. 5, 2023, 90% of US adults say they have a smartphone. Soon, AI will be ubiquitous in most health settings.

Say so long to artificial intelligence. Welcome to the age of Augmented Implementation!

The next five years promise even more significant advances, , a thirst to use information to accelerate decision-making, fueled by curiosity and collaborations across sectors and the drive to improve lives globally.

The post AI is Transforming Health Delivery: A Five-Year Reflection appeared first on Medika Life.

Filippo Maria Stefania of Generali thought consent would always be needed, but it would become a cultural norm. “A decade ago, if you took a picture of your main course in a restaurant, the owner would come out to ask what was wrong,” he said. Agreeing to share health data with insurers and providers will be part of an overall move toward individuals taking more responsibility for their health. That cultural shift will be supported by incentives, discounts, and nudges based on behavioral economics.

The technology is ready. Inge Thijs, a remote clinical monitoring coordinator, explained that a hybrid care system is already in place for heart failure patients in northwestern Belgium. They tend to have repeat admittances to the hospital. Health professionals can intervene before hospital care is needed by tracking measurements such as the build-up of fluids. This not only improves patient outcomes but also reduces the financial burden on the healthcare system. Belgium has a new pathway for reimbursement of M Health, and one of the first areas to be considered was heart failure.

The same technology can be used for rehabilitation after major surgery, reducing hospital stays while improving outcomes — data clearly show that patients recover better at home.

Elie Lobel, the CEO of RDS, a company that develops biosensor technology that can be worn comfortably at home, said that just discharging patients a day or two early can make an enormous difference to hospitals’ viability. Most hospitals in Europe are paid for the procedure performed, not the days spent in the hospital, and most have waiting lists. Discharging each patient even a little earlier will control costs and improve access.

Technology may also make prevention more cost-effective and better targeted, said Todor Jeliaskov, the CEO of In Heart. At the moment, for example, most implanted defibrillators – designed to restore the regular rhythm of the heart after an abnormal heartbeat – are never used. Large data sets may predict who should receive them better than current clinical guidelines can. Those same data sets may be able to target patients most at risk for a blood clot in the heart; these clots cause about a third of strokes, many of which can be prevented by medicines if health systems can identify who needs treatment.

This progress depends not just on wearables and sensors to collect data but on massive computational power to detect patterns unrelated to the disease. Some of these digital biomarkers will seem improbable: in multiple sclerosis, for example, symptoms of depression are predictive of a disease flare-up. It may well be that speech patterns or subtle shifts in activity can warn of cardiovascular problems. Risk factors may be synergistic, too, Dr Nathan Malka said. As a cardiologist, he could never accumulate the data to see which risk factors might augment others, but quantum computer power can unveil these patterns.

Remember the human factor, cautions care coordinator Inge Thijs. The same patients reluctant to come to clinics in hospitals are resistant to home rehabilitation monitoring and help. The technology will require health professionals who can turn its findings into advice that patients will follow. This transition may not be easy, and it’s important to acknowledge and address these concerns to ensure a smooth integration of digital monitoring in healthcare.

The post Want Coverage? We’ll Need to See Your Digital Watch First appeared first on Medika Life.

No Wild Expectations – A Will to Try Something New

The collaboration between Amazon Medical Services and the 220-site One Medical may signal a near-term business model shift in patient care. In a brief conversation with the companies’ four-person strong chief medical officer team at HLTH 2023, it was evident that senior staff at both companies have been rolling up their sleeves to think through how to leverage their combined strengths to improve people’s access to care. It’s happening.  There were no promises or predictions of what’s ahead.  Yet, the combined leadership team was frank in acknowledging the possibility of making a difference in people’s health.

Amazon and One Medical objective is to team up and make it easier for customers to access its wide range of primary care and pharmacy services. One Medical offers in-office and 24/7 virtual care services, on-site labs, and programs for preventive care, chronic care management, common illnesses, and mental health concerns. Through its app, members can access on-demand video chats, receive “Treat Me Now” assessments for common health concerns, book same- or next-day appointments, direct messages with providers, renew prescriptions, and access their care plans.

Amazon has invested in varied clinical, pharmacy and telehealth services.  Amazon Pharmacy is a digital-first, full-service pharmacy on Amazon.com—essentially, a pharmacy in your pocket. As expected, the warehouse giant carries most prescription medications with the ability to deliver right to customers’ doors – even providing free delivery for Prime. Their pharmacy team is available 24/7 to answer patient questions.

Composite Wisdom with IQ + TQ = EQ Health Offer

Combining Amazon technological and supply chain savvy with the One Medical patient-centric approach, the healthcare industry could witness a business model transformation prioritizing personalized, efficient, and proactive healthcare services. While industry leaders often talk about “patient centricity,” the Amazon Medical Services lead exec made it clear that is where they are heading – a  healthier and better patient experience.

In an exclusive comment to Medika Life, Neil Lindsay, senior vice president Amazon Health Services, said:

“Much of the current health care experience is simply too hard. At Amazon, we believe we can make health care easier by relentlessly applying customer obsession to experiences that deliver  choice, convenience, and continuity of care for people in their pursuit to get and stay healthy.”

Lindsay was integral in building the Amazon consumer brand, shaping branding for the Kindle e-reader and Fire and Echo devices.  He knows the strengths of Amazon consumer marketing and technology strengths.

Leading economist and authority on integrated delivery systems, Dr. Alain C. Enthoven wrote more than a decade ago that the “healthcare system is fragmented, with a misalignment of incentives, or lack of coordination, that spawns inefficient allocation of resources. Fragmentation adversely impacts quality, cost, and outcomes.”

Not much has changed since Dr. Enthoven penned those words; fragmentation complicates every aspect of care. Amazon and One Medical executives know that and are looking at how their combined strengths and readiness to invest in building a better medical mouse trap will make their vision valuable to payers, patients, product innovators and providers.  The two companies sit at the nexus of the ecosystem.

Among the possible advantages lies in integrating Amazon’s innovative technologies into One Medical’s patient-care model, such as augmented intelligence, data analytics, and home automation. Patients could benefit from personalized health recommendations from their medical history, lifestyle, and physician’s advice.

“We believe technology, threaded across health care, can improve the entire experience—reducing the time customers spend seeking care, saving customers money, and supporting clinicians so they can focus on patient care,” adds Amazon’s Lindsey.

Amazon’s voice assistant devices like Alexa could finally find a practical purpose and accelerate communication between patients and their health providers, enabling remote consultations and medication reminders. Amazon supply chain expertise has yet to be fully realized, tapping into the consumer giant’s logistics network potential to streamline the medication and medical supply delivery, ensuring timely access for patients, especially those with chronic conditions. The ability to handle prescription refills and follow-up on diabetes monitoring and therapeutic supplies can reduce urgent hospitalizations.

It’s long been suggested that “the patient is at the center of care.”  That is a distant dream.  Consumerism is at the center – prescribing products that patients may never fill at pharmacies.  No doubt, Amazon knows consumer patterns and markets.  When the partnership moves into high gear, it might enhance the overall patient experience through convenient and comprehensive healthcare services.

“Improving how primary care providers can access the information they need to understand a patient’s full health picture while reducing administrative burden has long been a priority for One Medical. For example, One Medical has already forged relationships with leading health systems across the country to digitally integrate to provide for the seamless and secure flow of information between primary care and specialty care settings to improve the experience of both patients and providers,” shared primary care physician Andrew Diamond, MD, Ph.D., chief medical officer, One Medical.

Making the Consumer Matter

The One Medical patient-focused approach, characterized by longer appointment times and same-day scheduling, could be augmented by Amazon user-friendly interfaces so that patients could easily manage appointments, access test results, and communicate with health providers. A business model centered around patient design and technologies could reduce administrative hassles and waiting times, leading to higher patient satisfaction and better health outcomes. That in itself would be a high bar set for others to follow.

Amazon is savvy about integrating technology into its business platforms. If One Medical can find its way to advance proactive healthcare management through wearable devices and remote monitoring tools, patients could actively track health metrics and invite health professionals to around shifts in their well-being. An approach to real-time data exchange would be a shift from sick care to preventive care, potentially reducing patterns around chronic disease management and unplanned hospitalizations. This might well be the (healthy) version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups when it comes to personalized care combined with a tech-based touch.

HLTH Showed its Sector Commitment

“As part of Amazon, we look forward to continuing to innovate on using tech to improve the organization, filtering, and presentation of patient health information for care teams while prioritizing security and privacy. We’d love to reach the point where providers can see a comprehensive summary of a patient’s health history as easily as Amazon customers can see their past purchases on Prime,” added One Medical’s Diamond.

The United States health ecosystem is a modern-day version of the mythological Labyrinth. Like the Cretan maze, it is almost impossible for patients and providers to navigate. Still, Amazon Health Services, now with One Medical as a big piece of its supply chain and tech puzzle, certainly has the resources, patience and self-interest to explore and try to get it right. HLTH was the perfect forum for Amazon Health Services to let the sector know it’s in the game!

While success will take time and effort, expect this e-commerce giant and its significant investment in One Medical to continue to press forward learning until it gets it right.

Amazon Introduces New Health Benefit for Prime Members

Read their news release here: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/one-medical-amazon-prime-benefit

The post The Amazon and One Medical Combo May Not Disrupt the Health System Now – They Will Champion its Transformation appeared first on Medika Life.

The sessions (and meals) – positioned around the exhibit floor were meaty – and welcomely unscripted, offering plenty of time for real-world reflections on the state of health delivery.  Afterward, speakers would mingle on the exhibit floor to answer questions and continue the conversation.  Whether an intended benefit for attendees or not, the meeting structure was a great hit and strengthened ViVE as a go-to community where people can interact and discuss challenges and possibilities. 

The number of attendees was right-sized, where meeting and exchanging thoughts is a priority and at a time when the economy and health system are under a magnifying glass.  The system is broken. That’s a collective given. However, where we go next remains a mystery.

Some 6,000 people were in Nashville for this four-day CHIME intensive, and the schedule of events – official and unofficial – offered plenty of opportunity – need – to catch up.  There were specialty Start-Up, Interop Now, and Cybersecurity Pavilions for the ever-curious and Speed-Connection Forum for deal makers and plenty of action on the exhibit floor.

Some of the add-on gatherings included: the Start-Up Health Transformers Session, UC Davis and FINN Partners Summit on Innovation and the timed release of the Galen Growth Digital Health Report on US Health Provider Systems, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center Evening Meet-Up, and the always fun and welcome Pinksocks Get-Together at the famed Springwater.

MAGIC AROUND THE EXHIBIT HALL

The everyday magic centered around the exhibit hall – home to the mainstage presentations, provided meals, pop-up post-5 PM receptions, and varied entrepreneurial hubs.  That offered plenty of opportunities to connect with innovators who reserved exhibitor space. 

The themed location of exhibits also supported a deep dive for conversation with people looking to improve the flow of information within health systems, better utilize information for preventive care or harness the power of smart tech and wearables.  Most importantly, there was a general acknowledgment from the speakers and vibe that our health system doesn’t lack innovation – it is sorely in need of structural healing. 

ADDRESSING HEALTH ECOSYSTEM PAIN POINTS

In this way, the range of companies appearing on and wandering the exhibit floor made the meeting well worth the time investment.  Many of the companies present at ViVE are worth following (those here are in alphabetical order).  These are among the enterprises that are addressing pain points of the health ecosystem and rallying to pressing patient needs:

• AssureCare, a population-health company connecting payers, providers, pharmacies, and government-sponsored healthcare programs across the US, is taking the long-awaited patient-centric approach using technology to generate better insight through health information. This company is working to converge pharmacists’ and pharmacy data into a bigger population health picture. AssureCare hopes to break down silos in healthcare data sharing from specialty pharmacies to national chains.

• Babson Diagnostics is doing what over-promoted Theranos failed to deliver. Babson is reimagining the diagnostic blood testing experience making routine blood testing less invasive, more convenient, affordable, and empowering people to take charge of their health. The holy grail of patient testing has been to bring it into the retail pharmacy setting using technologies that require one-tenth the sample blood volume of traditional venipuncture methods without sacrificing quality, accuracy, or menu breadth and pushing these diagnostic tests into a well-known setting where convenience corresponds to patients’ upcoming physician visit is in itself a big step in the right direction.

• CereCore® is elevating hospital operational effectiveness.  Its systems are already based in top-performing US hospitals, enabling this health IT enterprise to improve processes, data security and clinical applications. Hospitals remain the most expensive points of care within the US health ecosystem.  Generating insights and learning to mine and apply data earlier in the patient engagement process is key to improving care and reducing costs.  Hospitals cannot go it alone; tapping into a well-proven system is a smart starting point.

• CPSI has combined several companies under its corporate umbrella focusing on health solutions and services for community hospitals, clinics, and post-acute care facilities. These are the health systems that are known to struggle as more and more systems look to align with other, larger entities. The path to system-wide health has been to ensure a better patient care experience, improve financial operations and offer community hospitals and affiliated clinics EHR solutions that can accurately code assignments for reimbursement. While many companies in the field are looking to “innovate,” sometimes the greatest care advances are in strengthening the care system’s capacity to be economically viable.

• eVideon uses smart-room technology to streamline clinical workflow and transform the patient room into an immersive environment. This company enables hospitals and long-term care clinics to integrate EMR and other installed technologies to display real-time information through the in-room Smart TV, digital whiteboard, digital door sign and bedside tablet. The platform is streamlining clinical workflow and reducing the technology burden on clinicians. This system even features in-room surveys and video chat so the patient has a greater real-time voice.

• Harmony Healthcare IT is the data management firm that moves and stores health organizations’ patient, employee and business records. Among the category of veteran players, it continues to pioneer health IT tech in many ways.  Founded in 2006, this company works with more than 550 clinical, financial, and administrative software in the US and Canada.

• HCTec provides services to more than 1,500 academic medical centers, health systems, community hospitals, critical access hospitals, and healthcare provider organizations. While patients are supposedly the health system’s priority, it’s vital to remember that if the care locations are poorly staffed and lack infrastructure, their mission will be severely hampered.  At a time when hospital systems are integrating, getting their staff and EMR systems connected is a mega – even life-saving priority. 

• Interwell Health is a kidney-care management platform in a field that has become one of the most pressing health sector needs.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 37 million Americans are affected by kidney disease, and most are unaware of their progressive condition.  With kidney disease reaching near-epidemic levels, how physicians care for patients and help them navigate a fragmented reimbursement environment is a monumental task. The cascade of care – from diagnosis to dialysis – requires access to practice knowledge and reimbursement.  Learning about an illness is the start of a process and getting the care essential to keeping people on track to prevent additional medical risks is where medical outcomes are judged.

• ixlayer is partnering with payors, retail pharmacies, direct-to-consumer brands, biopharma, health systems, and telehealth providers to create quick and easy diagnostics for common conditions where reducing cost is possible – before an illness is much more severe. This platform “white labels” its tests for major customers with direct patient access and enables numerous testing options and seamless integration with its customers and lab partners. Like many innovation leaders, its goal is to shift engagement to earlier stages when a disease presents and its management has far more cost-effective treatment options.

• Juli was front-and-center at the American Telemedicine Association meeting in San Antonio earlier this year. The consumer-direct platform – available through a convenient app – supports people with chronic health conditions such as asthma, migraine, depression, bipolar disorder, hypertension or chronic pain through several evidence-based approaches. This consumer health empowerment tool integrates information that impacts health and awareness by tracking health responses to environmental data (e.g., weather, air pollution, pollen) through smartphones or popular wearables and aligning health.  The information can help shift the sick-care reactive system to a self-care preventive care approach.

• Lifepoint Health, the Nashville-headquartered provider, has, since its founding, become a national health system serving patients, clinicians, communities and partner organizations across the healthcare continuum.  A spin-out of the pioneering HCA, this system now includes more than 50,000 employees, 62 community hospital campuses, 50 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals – plus 200 additional care sites, including managed acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers, and post-acute care facilities.  It was no surprise that Lifepoint Health was present at ViVE.

• Loyal is among the first companies to offer end-to-end digital and AI-powered solutions tracking the patient journey; its software solutions for improved care utilization can be found within the nation’s top health systems and hospitals. From selecting a provider best suited for treating a specific condition to closing a feedback loop on patient experience, they have demonstrated that feedback is desired and that people who engage their health networks tend to show greater loyalty.

• Sheba Medical Center was part of the expert conversation at ViVE – a surprise for some as Newsweek World’s Best Hospitals five years straight – this medical system sent representatives from more than 6,000 miles away to share insights on how it maximizes technology across its care systems.  Its acute-care hospital, rehabilitation center, research and training programs, medical simulation center, center for disaster response, and the ARC Innovation Center for redesigning global healthcare all tap into the full range of digital and health technologies. At ViVE, its head of innovation spoke about the importance of looking for innovation from within its walls and the benefits of sharing best practices around the globe.  

• Teladoc Health appears to be about accessing care from many locations, but the pandemic demonstrated that the platform could provide much more to improve people’s well-being.  Now, telemedicine has become a given and has shown its value in patient adherence, management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, checking in with people enrolled in clinical trials and dealing with senior care needs.  In post-acute hospital care, telemedicine can support the outpatient process and keep people healing at home.  This global leader in delivering whole-person virtual care – including primary care, mental health, chronic condition management, and more – is the category must-watch innovator.

WHAT’S UP NEXT FOR HEALTH INNOVATORS?

The success of ViVE had many looking forward to April and HIMSS in Chicago, and CNS Summit in Boston this November.  For health innovators planning for 2024, mark your calendars for ViVE February 25 – 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.  If you have already marked your calendar for those dates, it’s a sure sign that #ViVE2023 was a hit!

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The Fall of Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley Bank, a financial institution catering to startups and venture capital firms isn’t much more that a bad memory today.  Its struggles are emblematic of the broader challenges facing the tech industry. Meanwhile, Amazon’s recent layoff of 10,000 employees is a stark reminder that even the most successful tech giants can falter.

Mark Zuckerberg’s recent statement about Meta adopting a more practical perspective on business issues signals a significant shift in Silicon Valley’s approach to innovation. This departure from the tech industry’s traditional infatuation with “moon shots” and ambitious initiatives reflects a growing recognition that, in an increasingly competitive and scrutinized environment, a balance between grand visions and pragmatic execution is essential for long-term success.

As the tech landscape evolves, industry leaders like Zuckerberg are acknowledging the need to temper their aspirations with a grounded understanding of market realities, regulatory challenges, and societal impacts. This shift suggests that the once seemingly unstoppable momentum of Silicon Valley’s idealism is now tempered by a newfound appreciation for the complexities of driving innovation in a rapidly changing world.

The Rise of Pharma

As Silicon Valley’s long-held position at the forefront of innovation and technology begins to wane, the pharmaceutical industry finds itself with an unprecedented opportunity to step up and become not just a leader but THE leader in these domains. The global challenges of the 21st century, such as an aging population, increasing healthcare costs, and the urgent need for novel treatments and vaccines, place the pharma industry at the center of a new wave of innovation and technological advancement.

To seize this moment, the pharmaceutical industry must embrace cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics. By leveraging these tools, pharma companies can revolutionize drug discovery, accelerate clinical trials, and identify new therapeutic targets with greater efficiency and precision than ever before.

Moreover, the industry needs to forge partnerships with technology companies, academic institutions, and healthcare providers to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. By pooling resources and expertise, pharma can drive breakthroughs in areas like personalized medicine, gene editing, and regenerative medicine, which hold the potential to redefine healthcare and significantly improve patient outcomes.

Embracing digital health technologies is another crucial aspect of pharma’s rise to leadership in innovation and technology. Telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and mobile health apps are not only improving patient care but are also democratizing healthcare access, empowering individuals to take control of their well-being and enabling healthcare providers to deliver more efficient, cost-effective services.

Finally, to secure its position as THE leader in innovation and technology, the pharmaceutical industry must commit to transparency and ethical practices. This includes addressing the disparities in drug pricing, collaborating with governments and nonprofits to ensure global distribution of life-saving medications, and investing in research that benefits underserved populations.

By rising to the occasion and embracing its newfound responsibility, the pharmaceutical industry has the potential to usher in a new era of innovation and technological advancement that not only transforms healthcare but also improves the quality of life for millions of people around the world. The time is ripe for pharma to claim the mantle of leadership and drive the next wave of human progress.

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 How so?

The COVID pandemic has changed the way we evaluate health technologies in four important and distinct ways.

1. Practicality replaces glitz.  The “Wow factor” is what mattered in the past.  “Look how cool this laser is that can identify your heart rhythm from 300 feet away!” “This headset lets me see how food travels through my body in real time!”   Technology can still be cool, but now the question is how will I use it?  Wearables that measure important variables like blood pressure will get more attention than new imaging tools that simply provide a clearer picture.
2. Prevention takes precedence over therapeutics.  COVID has demonstrated to us the importance of our personal health.  For too long, we made our jobs and other commitments our top priority.  Going forward, one’s personal health will become a major focus, especially as it relates to prevention.  How will a particular technology let me take control of my own health?  Nowadays, I am now more interested in a toilet that can monitor my urine for signs of diabetes or my stool for colorectal cancer than a device that creates holograms.  Once one gets pass the “icky” factor of some tools,  we will evolve to truly personalized preventive medicine.
3. Rigorous outcomes rule the day.  Everything now will be measured by how did it change patient outcomes.  Sure, it a device might show a new way to measure blood glucose – but what impact does it have on quality of life, co-morbidities, and life expectancy?
4. Consumer centricity rather than physician centricity.  In the past, technology has been focused on the health system and doctors.  It’s been a B-B approach.  That won’t go away, but more and more tech innovations will put the health consumer in charge.  For instance, I won’t be wearing a device that sends all the information to my doctor, but rather there will be more interpretation of all the data from wearables with direct communication to the patient.  This may require changes in regulation by the US Food and Drug Administration with a more practical definition of what constitutes a “medical device.” 

The real future of  digital health is when tech tools  continuously collect health data points and help interpret the information and provide preliminary diagnoses to patients.   The doctor isn’t going to be left out of this equation, but the difference will be that the patient will no longer be left out.  It’s the patient who will be at the center of how these technologies function from start to finish.

I’m sure I still going to be wow-ed this year and be entertained by the advancements we have made, especially during the last two years. But I’m also going to ask tougher questions on innovation, especially as relates to the purpose and impact.

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