Ritesh Patel - Medika Life https://medika.life/tag/ritesh-patel/ Make Informed decisions about your Health Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:16:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/medika.life/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/medika.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Ritesh Patel - Medika Life https://medika.life/tag/ritesh-patel/ 32 32 180099625 Digital Health Trends Revealed – Exuberance Gives Way to Savvy Investors https://medika.life/digital-health-trends-revealed-exuberance-gives-way-to-savvy-investors/ Sun, 14 Jan 2024 00:50:17 +0000 https://medika.life/?p=19222 Forget Your Apps – Galen Growth 2023 Report Shows a Sector Shifting Toward Practical Value

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]]> At last year’s mid-point, Galen Growth predicted turbulence in the digital health sector. The international market research team was an early alert system, forecasting the dramatic shift in venture capital funding that questioned the industry’s direction, outlined steps needed for success, and where it would find its customer sweet spot.

The transformation of the digital health ecosystem is marked by consolidation, increased investor scrutiny, a shift in investment strategy, and the dramatic convergence of big tech and big health. Galen Growth has now released its 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report. Medika Life was provided with an in-depth preview of this world-class authoritative data set and shares the report with readers at no cost.

Recognized globally by life science, health systems, and investors for its in-depth analysis, Galen Growth draws on its proprietary HealthTech Alpha platform, the world’s leading data, intelligence, and insights mining tool to compile its reports. Galen Growth tracks more than 680M data points and 14,500+ digital ventures.  

This comprehensive coverage is curated by Galen Growth’s specialized research team led by Sara Schmachtenberg, who leads a global group of analysts and industry experts in Asia, Europe and the United States. We appreciate Julien de Salaberry, CEO of Galen Growth, for making this report available to Medika Life and Lawrence Wurtz, the Galen Growth US lead, for his guidance. Special thanks to Ritesh Patel, who reminds us, “If it moves, digitize it!”

If you think digital health begins and ends with your smartphone, full stop! Digital health is vast and includes AI, ChatGPT, GenAI, health IT and more.  It harnesses the power of software as a prescription medical treatment for people with unmet medical needs. It is on the cutting-edge of health information technologies, driving smart wearables used to monitor patient vitals and report data back to provides. It ensure precision dosing of medicines.  It’s transforming women’s health and senior care. As its efficacy and safety parameters have morphed, the category demands the same degree of clinical commitment, regulatory oversight, and commercial savvy as any clinical product influencing life and health outcomes. The Galen Growth Trends Report studies 68 categories across 18 clusters. There is no comparative data that provides an overview of this magnitude.

While some “trend” reports cite dramatic numbers – largely pinpointing the dramatic drop in overall sector funding – the Galen Growth 2023 Trend Report offers a comprehensive analysis that guides analysts from industry and investment firms on where the money and where the successive waves of innovation are expected. Digital health as a category is maturing.  Gone are the investment dollars driven by unbridled exuberance and people licking their chops to enter “health’s tech boom.”  Get your hands on the 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report to learn more. In the meantime, here is an analysis of the data and what it might mean for the category.

An Evolution in Digital Health Investment

Data Provided by Galen Growth – 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report

2023 saw a tectonic shift in the digital health landscape as investors abandoned former highfliers and sought a more realistic perspective after the boundless enthusiasm influenced by COVID-19 in 2021. Even after more than a decade of maturity, the digital health sector has over 10,000 private companies showcasing varying degrees of innovation and potential. This evolution has led to increased commitments from pharmaceutical companies directing greater investment toward digital health innovation within their research efforts. Simultaneously, health systems are intensifying their focus on harnessing digital health innovation to enhance healthcare delivery and address capacity and productivity challenges.

Wallets seemed tighter in 2023.  The global averages revealed that only 31% of early-stage ventures, 34% of growth-stage ventures, and 53% of late-stage ventures raised funds in the last 18 months. But that’s also because many had already raised successful seed funds in the prior years. The remainder of the ecosystem was left to cut costs or rethink its business model.

A Complex Environment for Digital Health Ventures

Despite a thriving investment ecosystem, digital health faces headwinds. Recent data paints a mixed picture: fewer than 35% of digital health ventures secured funding in the past 18 months. This indicates an overall decline in investor support but a reorientation toward sub-sectors offering less risk and more customer upside. The pace of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) notably slowed, and initial public offerings (IPOs) and special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) were few. Particularly in Europe, the absence of recorded IPOs underscores that investors retreated, waiting to see what the markets find valuable before reengaging. Less than a handful of years ago, there was significant money available to help scale up companies such as Pear Therapeutics (United States), Olive.ai (United States), and Babylon (United Kingdom). In the wake of their collapse, some investors remain in shock, and others are reflecting on the due diligence questions they should have pursued earlier.

The Rise of GenAI – Practical Need for Health Information Interpretation

Data Provided by Galen Growth – 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report

GenAI (Generative AI) has emerged as one of the most exciting applications in the health sphere. Its prominence in biopharma and partnerships among health systems and innovators underscore its status as a central focus in 2023 and beyond.  The sector is shifting to address health system pain points – from taking the wash of “big data” found in electronic medical records and “scraping it” for clinical data that can be used to improve patient care – from confirmed diagnoses to better understanding chronic conditions to tracking for service provided requiring reimbursement codes and importantly providing healthcare staff summaries of patient status. 

On a topline, looking only at investor engagement and regulatory filing trends in the digital health domain would say the sector is in retreat. The Galen Growth data show its reorientation and why. The rise of GenAI is the “symptom.”  The disease might be responsible for the most significant part of the cost of care – health provider systems – recognize disruptive digital health technologies as the way to become more effective in operations and, most importantly, patient outcomes.

Increasing Partnerships and Technological Integration

Data Provided by Galen Growth – 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report

The emergence of AI, ChatGPT, and GenAI has sparked partnerships with health systems that have been pivotal for digital health ventures despite the challenges posed by investor belt-tightening. In 2023, announcements of new partnerships surged 1.2 times from the previous year, with a 3% year-on-year increase in the total number of partnerships globally. Technological integration remains a cornerstone, with 39% of private digital health ventures leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Generative AI technologies to address this sector’s desire for greater efficiencies.

Big tech companies have long been sitting on the sidelines trying to understand better – to comprehend – how the multi-layered – fragmented – health system operates.  Behemoths like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Google have all made big plays to partner, acquire and integrate health-specific AI platforms into their portfolios.  Health information – much of it handwritten and transcribed – defines “big data” – simply the ecosystem is awash in data.  GenAI might begin to make sense of the information chaos.

The application of AI is vastly different in health than tech and the giants will find the waters murky. In health-delivery settings, AI deals with sensitive patient data subject to strict privacy laws (e.g., HIPAA in the United States). Compliance with government health regulations is paramount, and data security raises legal concerns. There are ethical hurdles extending to issues like informed consent, patient autonomy, and the potential for AI to affect clinical decisions and treatment plans. Regardless, big tech has the cash to deploy and figure that out and they are eager to deploy in the health sector.

Biopharma All Aboard 

The research solutions cluster claimed 20% of the total funding in 2023.  Biopharma companies seek to “fail early” – to guard parents as we advance medicines in the research clinic and reduce the costs of creating new medicines.  They are embracing the idea and putting it into action, recognizing that information sorted at Lightspeed can better target drug discovery efforts and validate drug development teams’ trial design recommendations. 

Decentralized clinical trials have existed for some time. However, the COVID-19 era that became jet fuel for digital-health investment also paved the way for contract research organizations, life science companies, retail pharmacy chains, academic medical centers, and regulatory agencies to roll up their collaborative sleeves to create pathways and policies for the institutional use of this approach.

Companies that harness varied technologies and AI have sprung up to serve academic medicine and industry.  Long-awaited NGO groups such as the Decentralized Trials Research Alliance came into being, signaling increased opportunities for the sector. Research meetings such as SCOPE are seeing more and more digital health tech leaders step to the main stage.  The Galien Foundation, which once awarded its Nobel Prize like Prix Galien only to biopharma and medical device companies, has now included digital health and incubators, accelerators, and private equity entities among its categories.  Digital health is hard-wired into the ecosystem of science and medicine.

Like hospitals seeking to operate at heightened efficiency, the drug development sector recognizes that it needs to reach a much larger pool of patients – with a long-needed emphasis on diversity and broader geography – conveniently participating in clinical trials and ways to collect and sort added data.  Digital health is finding its seat around this table.  But at the same time, the seats are limited, and companies are choosing partners with caution and clinical data post the investment hysteria of 2022.

Galen Growth 2023 A Microscope and a Telescope

Photo Credit: Pexels by Photo by James Frid: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-using-telescope-901943/

Digital health ventures addressing patients’ therapeutic care needs have a higher bar to leap to address environmental funding challenges.  It is now recognized that a Food and Drug Administration 510K approval is insufficient to secure market success.  Demonstrative proof points – the most critical biopharma sector, like clinical evidence, is essential. The need to show patient-care value – either as a solo therapy or in concert with medications – is needed. The Galen Growth Trends Report underscores that the ecosystem requires clinical and peer-reviewed “proof points” – not enthusiasm.

Data Provided by Galen Growth – 2023 Year-End Digital Health Global Key Trends Report

Investors are navigating stormy seas for improved returns in an extended higher cost of capital environment, grappling with a constrained investment value chain, reduced exits, scarce IPO opportunities, and current valuations.  Plus, let’s not forget, that private equity’s primary responsibility is to their limited partners – often institutions that place endowment funds with the firm expecting solid return on investments. Innovators and entrepreneurs have responded by pushing harder to provide the complex, fragmented health ecosystem with a range of digital health technologies that improve operations and patient outcomes – money and lives saved. 

The belt-tightening of investors has pushed out some who mistook category excitement for a quick pathway to returns. The past 18 months have reshaped the sector and catalyzed the transition from short-term, exit-oriented strategies toward sustainable venture-building approaches.

As the sector adapts and recalibrates, the Galen Growth 2023 Trends Report is a diagnostic of the past 18 months and a vital telescope to a potentially transformative future.

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]]> 19222 Galen Growth Issues Special ViVE2023 US Health System Digital Health Report https://medika.life/galen-growth-issues-special-vive2023-us-health-system-digital-health-report/ Mon, 27 Mar 2023 18:41:56 +0000 https://medika.life/?p=17951 Galen Growth issues a special report prepared for ViVE2023 that shifts from its usual global 30,000 feet analysis to a special meeting theme – digital health and the US health system.

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]]> [As health leaders gather in Nashville for ViVE2023 – for a meeting dedicated to saving lives – we have learned that a mass shooting has occurred in the city at Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church.  There are multiple victims reported in this elementary school tragedy. At this time of terrible loss, our thoughts go out to the families and community impacted. We also think of parents throughout the nation who worry for their children’s safety and physical and mental health.]

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In the first Medika Life analysis of the always insightful Galen Growth data offering insight into the state of affairs of digital health – from partnerships to its practical application to the category’s financial health – we described the global environment as promising yet filled with “trepidation”:

Trepidation. That one word describes the uncertain economic climate that gripped corporate and investment decision-makers. If we are to believe the headlines, wallets have tightened – almost closed – and investment in life science and digital health, as a result, has declined. That go-to conclusion takes a simple approach to a complex investment strategy for the digital health sector that has shown great resilience year-after-after.

Now, the word to describe this new report is “Potential.” There is incredible potential for digital health to find its way within the US health system in multiple ways – from AI to ChatGPT to digital therapeutics – it’s potential remains great. Its path arduous.

The special report prepared for ViVE2023 shifts from its usual global 30,000 feet analysis to a special meeting theme – digital health and the US health system – particularly on the provider side.  The data released during the first full day of ViVE as an analysis of hospital activities around digital health –where the rubber meets the road for many of these ventures – practice application of innovation. Galen Growth of their FINN Partners has mined the insights that entrepreneurs, their investors, health system chief information, and innovation officers need to study closely! 

Photo Credit: Galen Growth and FINN Partners State of Digital Health Report Series

The data are essential for ventures, incubators and accelerators to mine, determining whether the digital health category and the massive US health provider system are working together to evaluate their activities’ effectiveness and advance the nation’s wellbeing.

Galen Growth is among the world’s trusted digital health private market data, intel and insights firms for industry and investors. They remain the only specialist digital health innovation partner, able to bring together private market venture data, intel and insights platform giving its clients more applicable information than any other platform

In the US, some 417 Health Systems account for nearly 3,500 hospitals. More than 1,600 independent hospitals are the backbone of healthcare delivery in the country and – in addressing in-patient care — a significant contributor to health outcomes.  But, many of these institutions – particularly those in remote and rural communities – are ailing. They need a bolus infusion of health innovation to access patient data, reimbursement and basic diagnosis and treatment priorities.  Digital health – from EMRs to remote access technologies is part of the critical-care, system-wide treatment.

“More than 50% of the 417 US health systems are struggling financially, impacted by the rapidly rising labor cost and shrinking HCP workforce. Meanwhile, demand from consumers and patients continues to increase,” says Julien de Salaberry, founder and CEO of Galen Growth. “Health systems and hospitals have to make increasingly difficult decisions about their healthcare delivery capabilities and seek technology solutions to increase productivity and build capacity while retaining high standards of care,” he adds.

Unless otherwise stated, all data are exclusively sourced from the Galen Growth proprietary

database HealthTech AlphaTM – the leading global digital health intelligence and analytics on-demand platform. HealthTech Alpha now tracks more than 300 million data points and has coverage exceeding 13,000 digital health ventures across the globe.

Photo Credit: Galen Growth and FINN Partners State of Digital Health Report Series

Here are the core takeaways from the Galen Growth/FINN Partners – ViVE2023 Report – but read the entire report to mine its full value:

Partnerships

In 2022, 31% of all global partnerships with Digital Health ventures founded in the United States were built within the U.S. Health Systems and hospitals– more partnerships than any other industry vertical engaged with Digital Health.

Clinical Evidence

Among the ventures that are partnering with the U.S. Health Systems ventures focused on Research and Clinical Trials take the top strategic area spot, with 69% of the ventures having Evidence Signal > 40, indicating significant Clinical Evidence. Ventures in the strategic areas of Diagnosis and Treatment captured 40 and 36% shared, respectively.

Health Systems

Galen Growth has recorded more than 1,400 partnerships globally between Digital Health ventures and Health systems in the United States since 2012, with only 10 Health Systems recording a Digital Health portfolio larger than 15 ventures. More than 560 hospitals and Health Systems are active, but only the top 65 most active Health Systems are accountable for 50% of all recorded partnerships.

Oncology

Oncology takes the top position across the therapeutic areas, with more than 30% of U.S. Health System is partnering with ventures in this area—cardiovascular Diseases are in second place, with 20%. Looking across the top 25 most active Health Systems, the top 13 therapeutic areas were represented in more than half of the Digital Health portfolios.

Portfolio Size

Across the U.S., there is a 2.1x difference in the Digital Health portfolio size between the most active Health Systems and the most extensive Health Systems. While the largest Health Systems focus on infrastructure improvement and treatment partnerships, the most active systems are partnering more in diagnosis and have a higher share of digital tools for research (incl. clinical trials). Both groups have significant activity in Digital Health tools for Prevention and Wellness.

How is the digital health sector doing overall despite the energy and buzz?  According to today’s Galen Growth report, its most significant potential awaits to be fully realized. Julien de Salaberry summarizes:

“Since 2012, US health systems have disclosed more than 1,400 partnerships globally with digital health ventures, with only 10 Health Systems recording a digital health portfolio larger than 15 ventures. More than 560 hospitals and Health Systems are active, but only the top 65 most active Health Systems are accountable for 50% of all recorded partnerships.”

Once again, Galen Growth has given us a wealth of data to mine and contemplate. The potential for digital health – as a tool to accelerate access to life-saving information and care remains incredibly promising.

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]]> 17951 Digital Health Innovation Continues to Press Forward at Warp Speed https://medika.life/digital-health-innovation-continues-to-press-forward-at-warp-speed/ Sun, 08 Jan 2023 14:45:54 +0000 https://medika.life/?p=17184 Billions Continue to Pour into the Health Tech Category According to New Sector Report

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]]> Trepidation. That one word describes the uncertain economic climate that gripped corporate and investment decision-makers. If we are to believe the headlines, wallets have tightened – almost closed – and investment in life science and digital health, as a result, has declined. That go-to conclusion takes a simple approach to a complex investment strategy for the digital health sector that has shown great resilience year-after-after.

The digital health sector has grown significantly during the past decade, primarily mobilized to address unmet health-system and care needs. From $2 billion invested in 2011, that figure morphed 28-fold to $56 billion in 2021. In the shadow of the COVID pandemic, unprecedented investment poured into digital health during this two-year window, accelerating the adoption of AI, remote patient monitoring, telehealth, digital therapeutics, wearables, VR and more.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE

Galen Growth and FINN Partners have collaborated – for a second time – to offer the entrepreneurial invention and investment industry a wealth of data that can guide financing life-sustain – perhaps saving – enterprises.  With this detailed report, data is shared not as “one-off” ideas but as puzzle pieces assembled to provide actional insight into a dynamic and evolving digital innovation sector that offers the transformative power to find effective detours around health ecosystem fragmentation.

The Damocles Sword of Access and Outcomes

The two companies avoided hype and biases to create this analysis enabling investors or potential business partners to weigh subjective decisions alongside objective facts in recognizing that the fragmented health ecosystem centers around preserving the system itself are vital to helping product innovators and patients navigate the healthcare labyrinth. That economic return on investment is weighted along with patient experience and outcomes.  This is the Damocles sword that inventors and investors must always consider – reimbursement that ensures access to care and meaningful and measurable outcomes.

While digital health venture capital fell short of the exorbitant funding of 2021, it closed ahead of 2020 levels. A closer look at the year-on-year development of funding value by funding stages shows that funding in 2022 nearly maintained the level of 2021 for the Early Stage and Series A funding rounds. However, it lagged behind the 2021 values across late-stage enterprise funding.

Investors learned and began to put their due diligence into action – targeting their energies toward specific geographies, sectors and needs (e.g., clinical trials).  They looked for therapeutic categories receptive to digital health innovation.  Within the disease-specific investments, oncology saw the highest participation of investors (9%), followed by mental health (7%) and women’s health (7%).  C-Suite leaders and their funders will do well to study the report data and to determine next steps.

Just Facts – 250+ Million Data Points Analyzed

While other studies highlight “media grabbers” and numbers disconnected from insight into where the money is going — from the investment stage to disease states— The Global State of Digital Health connected more than 250 million critical analytic dots. This report will guide C-Suite leaders, business development and therapeutic area heads, private equity funds, and financial analysts to make savvy decisions that drive return on investment—whether the goals be financial or patient care.

After an extraordinary two-year pandemic funding spree, there are apparent shifts in how investors place their economic bets. In this year of geopolitical turmoil and uncertain financial performance, digital health remains vital to the future of the health economy and in addressing public health press points. However, the development stages in which funds are directed, therapeutic categories selected, provider systems that demand transformation, and the regions where innovators establish headquarters are now investment factors.

“2022 has been a year of recalibration that required all stakeholders to take a careful look at fundamentals. The operating assumption for companies across all stages should be that it will take them more time and money to reach the next major inflection point and raise their next round of capital. Extending runways is only one part of the solution. In the current environment, they must keep in mind that for their customers, it’s not just about clinical value but also about health economics. Those start-ups that can demonstrate to payers and providers their ability to help them achieve cost reduction or even generate revenue stand the best chance to differentiate themselves from the pack and weather the storm.”

Roy Wiesner, Managing Director, aMoon

Bottomline, funding levels exceed the pre-pandemic values. Digital health ventures are busy – submitting more than double the number of regulatory filings in 2021 than before the COVID era. There is a dramatic increase in partnering activity over 2021. If dollars and Euros are the only indicators of energy and commitment, it is easy to see why hand-wringing news stories prevail. Look at all the metrics that determine a vibrant sector.

In combining investment, regulatory filings for new product introductions, and partnerships, it is apparent that 2022 has been a formative period. Investors and innovators are putting in place the processes and systems – the people and science – that drive adoption and market traction. Investors are no longer looking at the sector as monolithic.

Putting the Right People and Processes on the Innovation Bus

If 2021 was the year of exuberance, 2022 was, as Jim Collins, author of the classic business bestseller “Good to Great,” dedicated to putting the right people – leaders and digital health sectors – on the bus. For example, medical diagnostics ventures had an exceptional year by representing 12 percent of regulatory filings of Digital Health ventures across the globe, taking the top spot for ventures with significant Clinical Evidence (Evidence Signal >40), and capturing the highest investment volume share (17%), with the total cluster funding value falling short of 2021 by 16 percent.

As the report suggests, 2022 is a turning point for digital health – a shift from Digital Health 1.0 to the 2.0 era, with Digital Health evolving into a more mature ecosystem. The recent data reaffirm that perspective and a fast-paced realignment occurring within the sector.

Looking at the past year, it is evident that investor mindsets matured in 2022, and lessons learned were applied. Obstacles – from regulatory hurdles to payer pushback – made incubators, accelerators and private equity groups much more selective in their investment and partnership decisions. They looked beyond “invention” to innovation – where the market seeks to embrace a new product and rally to Foreword its access within the health ecosystem.

The 2022 “Global State of Digital Health Report” does far more than examine monies invested in the broad digital health category — it offers a guide for decision-makers on how multiple data points translate into market shifts and how to pinpoint trends that provide predictive insight and best practices in investment strategies, across regions, Digital Health categories, therapeutic areas and technologies.

Decisions will be made based on this collaborative effort. This report offers a new perspective – the data this report provides – finding the balance between hype and hope to offer balanced optimism is a guide.

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]]> 17184 First “Global State of Digital Health Report” Tapping into 200 Million Data Points Examines More Than 12,000 Digital Health Ventures Now Available https://medika.life/first-global-state-of-digital-health-report-tapping-into-200-million-data-points-examining-over-12000-digital-health-ventures-now-available/ Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:14:04 +0000 https://medika.life/?p=16610 Breaking Digital Health
Report Will Guide C-Suite Entrepreneurs and Private Equity Investment Strategies

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]]> NEW YORK, NY, November 14, 2022 – Galen Growth, the leading digital health, data-driven market intelligence company, and FINN Partners, an independent global integrated marketing services agency, announced that the first “Global State of Digital Health Report” will be released today at the HLTH Conference in Las Vegas during a special session hosted by UC Davis Health. This first report analyzes more than 200M data points from more than 12,000 digital health ventures worldwide.

The report will be available at HLTH and is available for download via this link.  This is the first in a series of reports to be released every quarter, the second of which will be released in January 2023 at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, CA.

Experts from the Galen Growth data and research team have been working side-by-side with the FINN Global Digital Health Group to chart the complex and often fragmented digital health landscape, emerging market trends, areas of growth, and innovation. This novel report goes beyond market ups and downs. It defines what therapeutic sectors are high priority, what digital health geographic hubs benefit most from the capital infusion, and at what stages of development equity funds prefer to engage and invest.

Report Provides Category Leaders with a Roadmap

“This first-of-its-kind ‘Global State of Digital Health Report’ does more than examine monies invested in the broad digital health category,” said Julien de Salaberry, CEO and co-founder of Galen Growth. “It offers the corporate, accelerator, and private equity decision-maker a roadmap for how multiple data points translate into market shifts and how to pinpoint trends that provide predictive insight and best practices in investment strategies, across regions, digital health categories, therapeutic areas, and technologies.”

While 2022 digital health venture capital has not matched the skyrocketing value of 2021, the closer look provided in the report reveals that capital infusion in 2022 exceeds 2021 values for the Early Stage and Series A funding rounds. It increasingly lagged in 2021 values across later funding stages.

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Early-stage venture funding remains strong and promises a healthy innovation pipeline, while the IPO market has stagnated, with 6 IPOs and 4 SPACs globally. M&A activity has maintained strength, with a dip of only 7% YOY.
  • With only 27% of ventures having raised venture capital in the last 18 months, the remainder of the ecosystem could be facing a bumpy ride, pushing their C-Suite and investors to cut costs, focus on profitability before growth or rethink business models.
  • A global analysis of 12,000+ digital health ventures reveals that just 17% have significant clinical strength. Though some therapeutic areas saw funding shrink by more than 30%, oncology maintained the position of the most invested therapeutic areas in Q1 – Q3 2022, and mental health held the second position.
  • Among the top 5 most invested therapeutic areas, gastroenterology was the only one that saw an increase in funding (2%) from 2021 to 2022.
  • More than 60% of the total venture funding value comes from North America. But on a regional level, the Middle East (Israel and the United Arab Emirates) set record highs of venture funding in Q2 2022. Europe maintains momentum throughout 2022 and has not experienced the quarter-on-quarter decrease in venture funding seen in North America. Regions with increased investment correspond to established regulatory, public health and payer systems that prioritize digital health use.

Not Simple “News Grabbers”

“In the ‘Global State of Digital Health Report, data are shared not as simple ‘news grabbers’ but as a whole dynamic picture of an evolving digital innovation sector that continues to offer transformative power to find effective detours around health ecosystem fragmentation and use the information to improve care and reduce overall system costs,” said Ritesh Patel, Senior Partner and Global Digital Health Lead at FINN Partners. “This first report lays the groundwork for future releases recapping the year-to-date in digital health and focus on global investment insights, categories, and therapeutics to accelerate long-needed change.”

“Suddenly cut off from ‘in-the-room’ contact, digital was the connective tissue between physicians with their ailing patients and pharma brands with consumers and payers,” notes Gil Bashe, Chair Global Health and Purpose, FINN Partners. “But enthusiasm – the rush to enter the digital health category – cannot triumph over strategy and long-term business planning. This report will help C-Suite decision-makers determine where the health innovation is headed and why.  Any road will do when you don’t know where you want to go.  But the system needs to know where it’s headed when it comes to sustaining people’s health.”

About Galen Growth

Founded in 2016, Galen Growth partners leading companies for their digital health market intel and insights needs. With comprehensive data, empirical research and expert insights, the company help global organizations reach the optimal solution for their business transformation, discover the latest trends in digital health and strengthen their innovative know-how. HealthTech Alpha, Galen Growth’s proprietary platform, is the world’s leading digital health private market platform, powering how leaders and corporations make digital health decisions.

Headquartered in Singapore, Galen Growth has offices in Basel (Switzerland), Boston and Chicago.

Please find us at galengrowth.com and follow us on Twitter at @galengrowth and https://www.linkedin.com/company/galen-growth/.

About FINN Partners, Inc.  

Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, FINN Partners has grown from about $24 million in fees to almost $170 million in fees over ten years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company’s record setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the FINN world through a common philosophy. With more than 1,400 professionals across 33 offices, FINN provides clients with global access and capabilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. FINN Partners clients are also supported through longstanding partner agencies and its membership in the PROI network of leading agencies around the world. Headquartered in New York, FINN has offices in: Atlanta, Bangalore, Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Delhi, Denver, Detroit, Dublin, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Guam, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Jerusalem, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Mumbai, Munich, Nashville, Orange County, Paris, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, Vancouver and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners.

Contacts:


FOR GALEN GROWTH:

Lawrence Wurtz, General Manager, North America
lawrence.wurtz@galengrowth.com  or info-usa@galengrowth

FOR FINN PARTNERS:

Celia Jones, Global Director, Marketing Communications
celia.jones@finnpartners.com 
+1 773 885 9781

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]]> 16610 The Medika Life 50 – The Most Influential Voices in Health for 2022 https://medika.life/fifty-of-the-most-influential-voices-in-healthcare-for-2022/ Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:01:06 +0000 https://medika.life/fifty-of-the-most-influential-voices-in-healthcare-for-2021-copy/ Medika Life 50 Top Healthcare Voices of Influence for 2022. Engage with leading voices, amplify their reach and expand your network.

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]]> For the 2022 Medika Life Top 50 Healthcare Influencers list, we have sought to identify voices – some expected and many new – that carry significant weight, both within their fields of expertise and across the health ecosystem. In particular, this year we sought to include the voices of patient advocates and ambassadors for those who need care and advance innovation.

All who have been selected for the 2022 Influencer List effect change and champion care and innovation. All are driven to improve people’s wellbeing and create a better, more accessible, more equitable health system. All express and share bold ideas and look to engage the health sector in conversation.

To compile our listing, Medika Life analyzed data from varied sources and used analytical tools to assess individuals’ social impact and reach. We examined numerous factors, including potential influencers’ effectiveness in engaging others and supporting healthcare improvement through original content. We have tried as much as possible to filter out the effects of Covid-19, which gave prominence to voices that were embedded in the frequent and changing news flow. We made the difficult choice to ensure new names (more than 50%) were featured on the 2022 listing. We sought to look at candidates’ overall contributions past, present, and, hopefully, future, to biomedical innovation, patient care, and wellness.

It was a challenge to select only 50 names for this listing. There are hundreds of committed and qualified individuals who were considered worthy. They work as advocates, change agents, innovators, and business leaders, and though not all could be chosen, we are eager to engage and support them and will highlight many others in the coming year.

We considered geographies – Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. We wanted to ensure that patient voice was present as partners at the table. We looked to ensure diversity and equity. Also, for the first time, media were included. We wanted to focus on people with ideas and the courage to share those thoughts and stand by ideals that include equitable and accessible care.

My thanks to my friend, mentor, and the Medika.Life Founding Editor-in-Chief Dr. Robert Turner for assisting me in this difficult process. Had he not been on the review committee, he would have most certainly appeared on this list of influentials.

[Please also refer to the list alongside, of the 2021 Most Influential Voices in Healthcare. These individuals also continue to have an impact and are important to watch, follow, amplify and engage. To that end, they retain their “Voice of Influencer” as Medika Top 50 alumni. We will also be preparing our lists of influentials in digital health, environmental health, health innovation, and mental health.]

Gil Bashe, Editor-in-Chief, Medika.Life

Download your Selection Certificate

If your name appears on the list below, we’ve prepared individual graphics for you to display on your website, blog, or social media to celebrate your selection. It’s well deserved and an acknowledgment for your efforts and dedication to better healthcare. You can download your certificate by clicking here. A sample appears below.

The Medika Life 50 – The Most Influential Voices in Healthcare for 2022

Here is our Medika Life roster of 50 people to follow – not ranked; all-important voices – to have on your radar screen for the years to come – follow their content and voices – advocates for patient care and health innovation:

John Nosta

Founder of NOSTALAB – Innovation Theorist

First and foremost, John is a thinker – never frightened to confront and exchange ideas. He is a thinker embracing the world of science, medicine, and innovation. John is the founder of NOSTALAB—a global digital health think tank recognized for its inspired vision of transformation. John is ranked as one of the leading voices in medical innovation and technology and well established as a top global strategic and creative thinker. He is also one of the most popular speakers around the globe, offering an insightful perspective on the future of innovation.

John’s focus is on guiding companies, NGOs, and governments through the dynamics of exponential change and the diffusion of innovation into complex systems. We appreciate his readiness to enter the fray and challenge the status quo. As important, he is a guide and mentor to many making him a given Medika Life Top 50 Influencer.

John is also a Medika author and you can follow his thoughts on healthcare via his dedicated column on this platform.

Jamey Edwards, MBA

COO, StartUp Health – Entrepreneur who Advocates for Start-Ups

Jamey Edwards is long known as a visionary leader in the health information and technology start-up space. His background makes him ideally suited to his new role as chief operating officer at StartUp Health. Many remember him from his past position as CEO and Co-founder of Cloudbreak Health (which merged with UpHealth and went public via SPAC in 2021). Jamey has been an active member of the health transformation community, offering his wisdom and experience – always available to help others and support their journey.

In his new role at Start-Up Health, Jamey put his 25 years of experience in healthcare, investment banking, and private equity to great use by helping entrepreneurs leverage his real-world experience to support the needed work to heal an unhealthy system of care. Continuing that mission, Jamey is now also a member of the Galien Foundation “Incubator, Accelerator and Equity” Judging Committee, where standards of excellence for the category will be set. Jamey is an advocate for many – an influencer for innovation that can improve patient care.

Michelle Longmire, MD

Physician and CEO at Medable Inc. – Making Drug Development Accessible

Dr. Longmire is mission-driven to accelerate the development of new therapies for disease. A Stanford-trained physician-scientist, Dr. Longmire has identified critical barriers to drug development and founded the pioneering company Medable to offer a new approach to drug development that harnesses clinical trial technologies to remove traditional roadblocks to participation and radically accelerate the research process. She is among the new leaders appearing in the evolving field of decentralized clinical trials.

More than a CEO and courageous business visionary, she is an advocate for diversity in drug development. Dr. Longmire is a change agent for the future of innovation and her leadership approach enables Medable to tap into the talents of some of the best and brightest from different industries – consulting, consumer marketing, bench science, and digital technologies – to advance the company’s mission. Her influence is seen through her ability to forge partnerships across the health ecosystem, most recently with pharmacy chain giant CVS. Dr. Longmire is present and always eager to listen and help others connected to the mission of making clinical trials for new therapies easily accessible.

Daniel Kraft, MD

Chair, XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance Task Force – Physician-Scientist and Inventor

A Stanford and Harvard-trained Physician-Scientist innovator and investor with more than 25 years of clinical, research, biotechnology, and entrepreneurial experience. Chair of Medicine at Singularity University and Founder and Chair of Exponential Medicine, Dr. Kraft brings needed expansive thinking to academic settings and medicine. Beyond creativity, he demonstrates the validity of his ideas in multiple publications and patents secured and shares ideas through his faculty positions at Stanford Medical School and UCSF (clinical faculty: Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation). He serves as chair of the XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance Task Force. Aspen Institute Health Innovation Fellow.

Singularity University and Exponential Medicine are unique cross-disciplinary programs that explore how rapidly advancing, convergent technologies can shape the future of healthcare and it fits Dr. Kraft’s expansive approach to health. Daniel is also an advisor to several leading biomedical and digital health startups. If academics and medicine were not enough, Dr. Kraft has put in his time in service to the nation as US Air Force National Guard Veteran having served as a unit Flight Surgeon. Inventor, teacher, advocate for patient care, and organizer, Dr. Daniel Kraft is certainly an influencer.

Amir Kalali, MD

Physician-Scientist and Convener of Communities that Advance Life Science

Dr. Kalali is a physician-scientist, recognized globally as a leading innovator at the intersection of life sciences and technology, and a convener of collaborative high-impact forums. He is a board director of both private and publicly traded companies and advises companies in the life sciences and technology sectors, universities, and investment groups. If the life-science industry had a Yoda, it would be Dr. Amir Kalali!

Dr. Kalali is the Co-Chair of the Decentralized Trials and Research Alliance (DTRA), Chairman and Founder and Chief Curator of the CNS Summit, a forum dedicated to the future of life sciences, and was the Founding Chairman, and sits on the Executive Committee of the International Society for CNS Drug Development (ISCDD), one of the first independent non-profits to bring together leaders in drug development to collaborate, and on the Executive Committee of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology (ISCTM). Both a neurologist and psychiatrist, Dr. Kalali is also an author, mobilizer, board member, corporate advisor, and host to industry change agents. Consider most neurology medications today and it would not be a surprise to learn that Amir had a hand in their clinical development program. If you want to be at your best, attend one of his gatherings, your social and intellectual circle of amazing people will expand greatly. If you follow him (or will follow him) on Twitter, his short bio says it all: “I might be up to something.” Be assured Dr. Kalali is always exploring new territory.

Michael Bidu, MBA

Co-Founder and CEO of INTERFACE Health Society, Innovation Advocate

Michael Bidu is the Co-Founder and CEO of INTERFACE Health Society, a not-for-profit virtual digital health technology accelerator based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Interface Health is a platform and community that cares about innovators, the future of health, and making a difference in the world. This is where you can find the right solutions, connections, and resources, anytime, anywhere – which means faster access, reduced costs, improved experiences, and better outcomes for everybody.

Michael is also the Co-Founder and CEO of MYND Therapeutics Inc. a Vancouver-based digital health company that is disrupting the global wellness and healthcare industry by focusing on physical, mental, and behavioral conditions. The company makes science-based, immersive, socially engaging digital therapies that work virtually anytime, anywhere. The 1st product is scheduled for the market in 2022. What is more evident about Michael is his extraordinary support for entrepreneurs and ensuring their voices are heard.

Junaid Bajwa, MD

CMS at Microsoft, Patient Champion Harnessing Innovation to Improve Care

Dr. Bajwa is the Chief Medical Scientist at Microsoft Research and a practicing physician in the NHS (the UK’s National Health Service). He was previously the Global Lead for Strategic Alliances and Solutions for the Global Digital Centre of Excellence at Merck Sharp & Dohme, where he led a range of strategic initiatives to improve patient care, including the establishment of internal partnerships across the enterprise and external partnerships across the health care ecosystem.

Dr. Bajwa cofounded “VelocityHealth” as Europe’s first prevention-focused digital-health accelerator, in partnership with Telefonica, and led his team to deliver the “NHS Testbed” in partnership with Verily Life Sciences (part of Alphabet), which the Health Service Journal recognized as the “Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS” in 2018. Junaid is first and foremost a physician and dedicated to applying health innovation to ensure access to care.

Yele Aluko, MD, MBA

Chief Medical officer at EY – Voice for Equity in Healthcare

Proven MD/ MBA physician executive and corporate leader. Multiyear experience in healthcare clinical and administrative strategic planning, program growth, and development. Seasoned health equity practitioner with a focus on solution development and deployment. Prior clinical practice in interventional cardiology specializing in complex coronary and structural heart interventions, known for his empathetic and disciplined manner and his equally strong focus on consensus, team building, accountability, mentorship, and innovation.

Dr. Aluko is trained as a structural heart cardiologist and served as senior vice president of heart and vascular services at a 15-hospital integrated regional health care system in the Southeast USA. There, his responsibilities included governance of an enterprise-wide clinical strategy overseeing cardiovascular service line vision, growth, clinical integration, physician alignment, and standardization of clinical, operational, and business processes. He is an expert on what works and what doesn’t in the US health system.

He is board certified by the Canadian Board of Internal Medicine and is triple-board certified in internal medicine, cardiology, and interventional cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Most important, Dr. Aluko is an expert in social determinants of health and addressing issues of health disparities that result in health inequities and care outcomes. Yele is one of those incredible minds that after spending a few hours talking with him, you hope he will influence the highest levels of the health ecosystem.

Stacy Hurt, MBA, MHA

Patient Engagement Consultant, Patient Ambassador

Stacy Hurt, MHA, MBA, is a leading voice for patient voice and care. She is an award-winning 20-year healthcare executive, caregiver to her intellectually and developmentally disabled son, and she is a Stage IV colorectal cancer survivor. Stacy serves as an advocate for patients around the world for the inclusion of their voice in shared clinical decision-making. Now, as a Patient Consultant, she helps pharma/tech companies and health systems shift from fee-for-service to a value-based care model by connecting to consumers through first-hand lived experience and strategic expertise. 

Stacy has been a HIMSS Digital Changemaker and is on the #TelemedNow thought advisory panel for telehealth expansion. Her clients include Parexel, Red Hat, Promega, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Bayer. Ultimately, Stacy makes the business case for including a patient perspective with industry/clinicians and their customers. Stacy is a powerful voice for innovation that ensures patients are engaged in the process. In fact, she is pioneering the territory to make sure that every company involved in health innovation recognizes that patient advocates must be welcomed and respected members of the process. She’s courageous and persistent in so many ways, it’s likely Stacy Hurt will succeed!

Cheryl Pegus, MD, MPH

Executive Vice President, Health and Wellness, Walmart

Cheryl Pegus, MD, MPH, is a board-certified physician with subspecialty training in cardiology and is the EVP of Health and Wellness at Walmart. Previously she was the President of Consumer Solutions and Chief Medical Officer at Cambia Health Solutions. She has held roles as Chief Medical Officer and Head of Product Development for other national health systems and pharmacy retailers. She has a demonstrated track record of launching innovative healthcare products that enable organizations to capture and maintain market share. Dr. Pegus has held leadership positions with Walgreens and other health giants.

She is on the board of the American Heart Association and is the past-Chair of the Association of Black Cardiologists. She has been recognized as a leader in pragmatically addressing gaps in care and cost across underserved populations utilizing data-driven, innovative solutions to improve health and care fragmentation. Dr. Pegus has an extensive background in health provider systems, public health, professional association, private equity, and more. Walmart made a wise decision tapping Dr. Pegus for this new role – a decision that may likely benefit every community near a Walmart.

Hesham A. Hassaballa, MD, FCCP, FAASM

Associate Regional Medical Director – Critical Care – The Voice of Reason

Hesham Hassaballa, MD, FCCP, FAASM is a practicing intensivist with more than 17 years of clinical practice. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Hassaballa is a Regional Medical Director for Sound Physicians’ Critical Care practice in the Midwest. He leads and oversees clinical operations in multiple ICUs in the Midwest, and he is Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, IL. At Rush-Copley, Dr. Hassaballa chairs hospital committees is part of the Medical Staff Leadership, and has delivered solid improvements in process and outcome metrics, including ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay of ICU patients, and mortality. Dr. Hassaballa is also a Regional Innovation Leader for Critical Care, and he is also a Physician Advisor and serves on the Education and Advisory Board for Advisory Services.

He’s an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Course Director for Rush University Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Medicine for the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Medicine. He serves as a peer reviewer for the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has presented research a number of times at national meetings, and he has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. Moreover, Dr. Hassaballa is a prolific writer, with articles appearing in newspapers and websites globally, and has published a medical thriller, “Code Blue.” Dr. Hassaballa is among the founding editors of Medika.Life. More so, his writings are a must-read and come from the heart.

Craig Lipset, MPH

Advisor, Educator, Mentor, Innovator – Decentralized Clinical Trials Pioneer

Craig Lipset leads at the forefront of innovation in clinical research and medicine development. He is an advisor to technology and biopharmaceutical companies, leading universities, and the venture community, bringing vision and driving action at the intersection of research, digital solutions, and patient engagement. Craig was the Head of Clinical Innovation and Venture Partner at Pfizer, on the founding Operations Committee for TransCelerate Biopharma, and on the founding management teams for two successful startup ventures (Perceptive Informatics and Adnexus Therapeutics). During that time, Craig designed and launched multiple industry firsts — from the first fully remote/virtual clinical trial for a new medicine to the first returning of results and data to research participants.

He now serves on the Board of Directors for the Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance where he is Founder and Co-Chair, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, and the MedStar Health Research Institute, and, as well as on the Editorial Board for Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science. In response to the statement, “Patients should have a seat at the drug development table,” Craig responds: “Have a seat at the table? It’s their table.” Craig influences the conversation every time.

Rachel Hodgdon

President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) – Creating a Healthier Planet

Rachel Hodgdon is President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit corporation on a mission to improve human health and well-being through people-first places. Included in her IWBI leadership responsibilities, Rachel leads its Standard Development, Education, Research, and Credentialing divisions.

A widely sought-after expert and inspiring speaker, Rachel’s game-changing contributions to green building have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Parenting Magazine, FOX News, CNN, and in leading industry publications including Metropolis, Grist, and GreenBIZ. Rachel has also guest-edited Green Building & Design magazine. Rachel is at the forefront of raising awareness in environmental and planetary health tirelessly mobilizing leaders to create safe, welcoming healthy spaces. Uniting for-profit, not-for-profit, and academic leaders in the conversation for a healthier future makes her a must watch and follow.

Levi Shapiro, MBA

Founder, mHealth Israel – Global Health Tech Ambassador

Levi Shapiro is Head of the Digital Health Program at the Hebrew University BioMED MBA program and teaches Digital Health in prominent programs like Stanford BioDesign. As the Founder of mHealth Israel (8,000+ members), he leads Israel’s largest community of health technology innovators. His articles appear in leading industry publications. He holds Board positions with health technology startups and acts as a strategic advisor to prominent global healthcare organizations. If you have not attended one of Levi’s “Meet-Ups,” you’re missing something big! Levi makes and shares connections!

Levi also maintains the mHealth Israel LinkedIn community (12,000+ members). In a career spanning Beijing, Tokyo, Milan and Tel Aviv, Levi launched new business units (IBM), new products and services (Toyota), and a variety of technology startups. He is an investor and Board Member in Israeli health tech startups and formerly a General Partner in the venture capital firm, Veritas. Mr. Shapiro holds degrees from Tulane (BA), Cornell (Asian Studies), and MIT (MBA). Speak to him in Japanese – he’ll surprise you!

Artur Olesch

Digital Health Journalist, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of aboutDigitalHealth

Artur Olesch is a Berlin-based freelance journalist and correspondent for digital health-related topics. He is the founder of aboutDigitalHealth.com and editor-in-chief of ICT&Health International and OSOZ News. An author of 500+ articles and health-IT reports, content writer, an influential voice on social media. He mentors startups and guides healthcare organizations aiming to develop digital strategies. If anyone knows what is happening in the world of digital health, it’s Artur!

Artur is as gracious with his time as he is with his insights. If you are not following him on Twitter and reading his articles, you’re most certainly missing out!

João Bocas

CEO at Digital Salutem, DigitalHealth and Wearable Expert

João is a wearables expert and a globally recognized Top 100 Global Digital Health Influencer. His passion lies in helping others, sharing experiences, transferring knowledge, working collaboratively, and passing on the latest innovation trends from the digital health world. He is a thought leader in wearables, digital health, IoT, and healthcare innovation, including AI (artificial intelligence), robotics, and ML (machine learning ).

João explores the intersection of technology in modeling business models and shaping consumer behavior. His YouTube channel is a big hit in the digital health category and he’s now moved to sharing content in a regular LinkedIn blogpost. He also analyses the impact of disruptive innovations and shares future trends in the marketplace. His passion lies in helping others succeed.

Shazia Ahmad

Clinical Trial Engagement Expert, Rare Disease Advocacy Professional

A passionate leader with a desire to improve healthcare, clinical research practices, support strategy, and implementation on clinical programs with a special interest in rare and orphan indications, neuroscience, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory and women’s health. A seasoned thought leader in the rare disease space and driven to ensure the patient journey and diagnostic experience is implemented in every program.

In her current role as Senior Director, Head of Patient & Physician Services at UBC, Shazia is driven to bring innovative solutions to clinical trial execution and outcome measurement. develop and support patient programs that address both disease-specific and cross-disease challenges, increase disease awareness, decrease time to diagnosis, increase access to therapy, and improve the clinical trial experience. Someone who knows the government research system, Shazia is a person to have on your side.

Allyson Ocean, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Patient Ally

Dr. Allyson J. Ocean is Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, medical oncologist and attending physician in gastrointestinal oncology, Solid Tumor Division, at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and practices medical oncology at The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health. Board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, Dr. Ocean’s primary interest is in the biology and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. She has published numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, and abstracts and is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Pancreatic Cancer Research Team.

Dr. Ocean is now leading numerous clinical trials investigating radiolabeled antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, oncolytic viruses, and targeted therapies in pancreatic cancer. Dr. Ocean is the founding Medical Advisory Board Chair of Michael’s Mission, a nonprofit focused on improving the quality of life for colorectal cancer patients through research, education, and patient support. Her work with patient activist Anne Glauber, who dedicated the last years of her life to creating a “crowd-source” clinical trial community for patients with pancreatic cancer, called Let’s Win Pancreatic Cancer, reinforces that Dr. Ocean will not accept a deadly diagnosis as a given. Allyson is a champion for patient participation and someone to have on your side and follow.

Jeremy Lim, MD

CEO AMILI, Southeast Asia’s First Precision Microbiome Company

A/Prof Jeremy Lim (Fulbright 2002/3) is CEO and co-founder of AMILI, the Southeast Asian region’s first gut microbiome company centered in Singapore. A medical doctor trained in surgery and public health, Jeremy was most recently a partner in the Oliver Wyman Health and Life Sciences practice in Asia, which he founded in 2013.

He contributes back to his alma mater as Director of LIGHT, the global health institute for the NUS School of Public Health, and teaches global health systems reforms and digital health. He also writes regularly for both the scientific and popular media and in 2013 authored “Myth or Magic: The Singapore Healthcare System,” a book on the Singapore health system and the lessons for health reform efforts in other countries.

Rafael J. Grossmann, MD, FACS

Surgeon, DigitalHealth Innovator, Educator, Communicator – VR Pioneer

Throughout his career, Dr. Grossmann has focused on tapping the paradoxical power of technology to coexist with better, more humane medical care. He’s not just talking the talk, he’s certainly walking the walk!

Rafael is the world’s first doctor to use Google Glass technology during live surgery. This event catapulted him into the digital medicine ecosystem, as a disrupter of established medical paradigms and traditional ways of practicing and educating. He continues to be a powerful change agent in healthcare. He is a healthcare futurist, a full-time practicing surgeon, and a pioneer in adapting health technology to advance patient care. Dr. Grossmann is also an advisor and consultant to several companies, including Magic Leap, Animares, Nanox. Vision, Hippo Health, and other startup enterprises in the technology landscape. He’s lectured at MIT Media Lab, Stanford, Google, Deloitte, and many other pivotal digital-health industry players. When it comes to test driving tomorrow’s health tech, expect to see Rafael Grossman behind the wheel!

Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD.

President, Clinical Studies Platforms at Verily Life Sciences

Dr. Amy Abernethy is the President of Verily’s Clinical Studies Platforms, where she oversees the company’s clinical evidence generation platform product vision and related clinical research portfolio. Dr. Abernethy was recently Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Agency’s acting Chief Information Officer. Prior to her role at the FDA, Dr. Abernethy was Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, and Senior Vice President of Oncology of Flatiron Health.

Before joining Flatiron, Dr. Abernethy was Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and directed the Center for Learning Health Care in the Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke Cancer Care Research Program in the Duke Cancer Institute. Dr. Abernethy is a hematologist/oncologist and palliative medicine physician who has authored more than 500 publications. She holds a BA in Biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, an MD from Duke University School of Medicine, and a Ph.D. in Evidence-Based Medicine and Informatics from Flinders University in Australia. Amy is a physician, scientist, and advocate for innovation that can unite patients with a health system that is geared to meet their needs.

Renzo Guinto, MD

Co-Founder of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health

Renzo Guinto, MD DrPH is the Chief Planetary Health Scientist and Co-Founder of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Concurrently, he is Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Public Health and Inaugural Director of the Planetary and Global Health Program of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine in the Philippines. He also holds appointments at the Copenhagen School of Global Health and Ateneo School of Government.

An Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leader and Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow, Dr. Guinto is a member of the Lancet–Chatham House Commission on Improving Population Health post-COVID-19 (University of Cambridge); Lancet One Health Commission (University of Oslo); Advisory Council of Global Health 50/50 (University College London); and Editorial Advisory Board of The Lancet Planetary Health. He advises various organizations including the World Health Organization; World Bank; USAID; International Organization for Migration; Health Care Without Harm; and Philippine Department of Health.

He obtained his Doctor of Public Health from Harvard University and Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines, Manila. In 2020, he was included by Tatler Magazine in its Gen.T List of 400 leaders of tomorrow who are shaping Asia’s future. His influence – albeit quiet – is powerful.

Jen Horonjeff, Ph.D

CEO Savvy Cooperative, Ph.D., Patient Advocate for Human-Centered Design

Jen Horonjeff, PhD, is a patient advocate and Founder and CEO of Savvy Cooperative. Savvy is the first patient-owned public benefit co-op that helps companies build inclusive health innovations by gathering diverse patient insights. Dr. Horonjeff was named one of the 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs of 2018 by Entrepreneur Magazine, alongside Elon Musk, Chance the Rapper, and Reese Witherspoon. Jen is committed to human-centered design in healthcare and has firsthand knowledge as both a patient and professional.

Always thinking about the voice of the patient, Dr. Horonjeff grew up with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and survived a brain tumor as an adult. She is also a patient-centered outcomes researcher, a human factors engineer, an FDA Consumer Representative, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Sequoia Project. She earned her Master’s in Ergonomics and Biomechanics and Ph.D. in Environmental Medicine, from New York University. Jen continues to give patients a platform to ensure their voices are heard and valued. At JP Morgan in 2019, she made sure to get the attention for her POV by appearing in a hospital gown to underscore the inequity of the physician/patient relationship. She is an advocate for a health system co-designed with patients.

Michael Rosenblatt, MD

Senior Partner, Flagship Pioneering – Ambassador of the Patient in Life Science

Dr. Michael Rosenblatt joined Flagship as Chief Medical Officer from Merck, where he was executive vice president and the company’s first chief medical officer from 2009 to 2016. Drug development pioneer, hospital executive, and educator, he has held key appointments as Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine; the academic chairs as Robert H. Ebert Professor of Molecular Medicine and George R. Minot Professor of Medicine, at Harvard Medical School; senior vice president for academic programs of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Dr. Rosenblatt is the holder of 19 patents and is the author or co-author of more than 180 peer-reviewed papers and commentaries.

Born in a displaced person’s camp to Holocaust survivors, has given “Mike” a world-view that places the needs of the patient front and center. During his tenure at Merck as chief medical officer, he secured a direct connection to the Merck board to ensure patient concerns would have a voice. A leader in drug development, he is the recipient of the Fuller Albright Award for his work on parathyroid hormone, the Vincent du Vigneaud Award in peptide chemistry and biology, and the Chairman’s Award from Merck. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, and the research advisory committees of the Massachusetts General Hospital, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Boston. Mike is a medical Renaissance person.

Mike also serves as a Co-Chair of the Galien Foundation Prix Galien Awards Committee for his leadership work in public health and drug development. Those that know Mike can attest to his attention to the urgency of people’s needs.

Sachin Jain, MD, MBA

President and CEO, SCAN Group and Health Plan – Patient Care Innovator

Dr. Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA, is President and CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan, where he is charged with leading the organization’s growth, diversification, and emerging efforts to reduce healthcare disparities. SCAN revenues top $3.4B and the organization serves 220,000 patients.

Dr. Jain is a respected thought leader in health care delivery. His interest in the system has led him to work in the White House, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and pharmaceutical giant Merck before going to the provider side of the industry at Caremore. He is recognized as a “Top 50 Most Influential Clinical Leader” and “100 Most Influential People in US Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare. In 2018, LinkedIn named him its top voice (#1) for healthcare. But there is more. Dr. Jain is a Forbes contributor and front-and-center advocate for putting the patient at the center of the health system. Most important, where and when change is needed to improve patient care, expect to see Dr. Sachin Jain as part of the conversation.

John Whyte, MD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer at WebMD – Shifting America from Sick Care to Self Care

WebMD Chief Medical Officer. Visionary, results-driven senior executive, physician, writer, healthcare policy expert, and innovative communicator with more than 20 years of professional experience providing healthcare leadership and policy development, Dr. Whyte blends big issue public health with personal and compassionate care.

Dr. Whyte is a board-certified internist and completed an internal medicine residency at Duke University Medical Center. He earned a master of public health degree in health policy and management at Harvard University School of Public Health. Before arriving in Washington, DC, Whyte was a health services research fellow at Stanford and an attending physician in the department of medicine. He has a strong handle on the balance that must be found between public health, public education, and private enterprise as partners. Dr. Whyte continues to put patients first and takes care to work in the clinic along with his WebMD responsibilities.

At a time when people feel resigned to their genetic destiny, Dr. Whyte is using his knowledge and abilities to inspire people to self-care and wellness. He now has two consumer health bestsellers available titled Take Control of Your Cancer Risk and Take Control of Your Diabetes Risk.

Dr. Whyte is now a Medika.Life author and you can follow his ideas and counsel on healthcare via his dedicated column.

Zubin Daruwalla, MD

PwC Singapore Health Industries Leader – Giving Life-Saving Ideas Structure

With the paradigm shift toward governments introducing telemedicine worldwide, Dr. Daruwalla has been involved in numerous studies looking at how telehealth can play a greater role in improving patient care and outcomes. He dedicates his talents to serving as an advisor to a number of Med and HealthTech start-ups so that patients will have easier access to care.

His extensive cross-cultural experiences from having lived in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Singapore exposed him to a wide variety of cultures and life experiences. Having obtained full registration with each country’s respective medical council, he continues his clinical work and research with current interests being in healthcare consulting and as a thought leader in the digital health and medical education spaces. With strong administrative and organizational skills, he is always looking at new and exciting opportunities to put his skill set to use so that entrepreneurs are able to blend their passions with sound processes.

Jhonatan Bringas Dimitriades, MD

CEO and Co-Founder, Lapsi Health, Digital Health Executive and Educator

Dr. Jhonatan Bringas Dimitriades, MD is a Medical Doctor from the Netherlands and Peru, an expert in Digital Health he holds positions of Business Director, Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer for different Medtech and Digital Health companies in Europe and the USA. He is currently the Global Ambassador for Medical Education in Digital Health for Medscape. Dr. Jhonatan Bringas is also on the Board of Directors and sits on the Advisory Board of several companies.

Watch him in his new venture called Lapsi Health. Lapsi is a medical startup, developing novel technology that enhances the usage of data in medicine. The technology and its patient-centered application is a bold idea and can impact care for millions. Global citizen, health-tech entrepreneur, educator and patient-access advocate secured Jhonatan berth on this year’s list.

Jeff Livingston, MD

CEO MacArthur Medical Center – Medical Journalist and Blogger

A nationally recognized thought leader, speaker, writer, blogger, and practicing physician who is considered an expert in the use of social media to educate patients, using new and innovative technology to improve care outcomes and the patient experience. Jeff is the founder of BeingWell on Medium and his efforts led to the creation of Medika.Life. Through his work, he created a platform for health professionals in medicine and allied health to share ideas from the trenches.

A partner at MacArthur Medical Center, since 2003 he serves as the company CEO. He has served previously as chairman of the ObGyn Department at Baylor Scott and White in Irving, Texas. Currently, he serves on the Board at THR Harris Methodist HEB and is the medical director at Texas Health Surgery Bedford. Livingston continues to speak, consult and provide leadership strategies to physicians, practice leaders, and health IT decision-makers throughout the United States. Jeff has been profiled in USA Today, Wired, Computer World, and Physicians Practice, among others, for his innovative use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels to communicate with patients to better meet their health needs, educate and improve the patient experience.

Dr. Livingston serves as medical director for Silicon Valley HealthTap, Inc. an interactive health 2.0 network employing mobile health technology to connect doctors with patients. He also serves as medical director for the FQHC Collins Clinic in Fort Worth.

Professor Sam Shah

Chief Medical Strategy Officer, Digital Advisor, Specialist, Public Health

Sam is Chief Medical Strategy Officer for Numan and is one of the most respected voices in the UK on the topic of digital health. He is Honorary Chair and Professor of Digital Health within the Faculty of Future Health, College of Medicine and Dentistry with Ulster University. Sam serves as Chief Clinical Digital Advisor for Orcha and board advisor within healthcare and technology. He is a clinician and previously Director of Digital Development for NHS England and has a background in primary healthcare, public health, and research.

Sam uses his leadership voice to connect technology with access to health services; optimize the consumer experience and improve system efficiency. Sam has overseen the development of NHS 111 Online in England. He always has his vision for a better health system centered around improving people’s lives and remains one of healthcare’s most affable and approachable influencers.

Mark Chataway

CEO Hyderus / Leader Baird’s Communication Consultants – Public Health Champion

Mark always works to ensure that private enterprise considers public health urgencies. Expert in communications on health and medicines, Mark is known for his fearless counsel to mega biopharmaceutical companies on topics of global public health around preventing non-communicable diseases and ensuring prompt planning and response to infectious disease.

His many years of experience in communications on developing international health issues and managing international development programs, around AIDS and reproductive health have earned him world acclaim. Through the years, he has worked with noted clients such as International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Hewlett Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, WHO, and Worldvision. Mark is dedicated to tackling issues for a more equitable world. What is most impressive is that Mark makes collaboration to improve people’s well-being his priority and platform. That is a heartfelt skill more and more leaders must embrace.

Aman Gupta, MBA

Managing Partner: Asia-Pacific, SPAG – Bringing Health Innovation to the World

Aman Gupta, is co-founder of PR Agency SPAG, and has been recognized for his global work in the PR and communications industry. He was the first Asian leader to be named to the TED Fellow 2003 list and has been listed as one of the ‘Top 25 Innovators’ by PRovoke Media, Asia-Pacific, for shaping influence and engagement in an era of dramatic marketing and communications disruption. He was also listed in the PR Week Global Powerbook (2016-17) as one of the most influential PR professionals around the world. Aman has been honored as ‘Communicator of the Year’, by the Industry Association at the Fulcrum Awards 2017.

Based in Mumbai, Aman extends his reach to others around the world and is dedicated to building a voice for Asian-based healthcare companies outside the region. His efforts have also led to SPAG serving as the representative for major North American health companies headquartered in Asia. Aman Gupta gives voice to global health innovation and is committed to public health. As Asia becomes more and more important to the conversation of global health, expert Aman to be part of those discussions.

Christine Von Raesfeld

CEO, People with Empathy; Online Community Leader, HIMSS Future50

Few people with a cause walk the talk as boldly and graciously as Christine Von Raesfeld, founder and CEO of People with Empathy. Christine is a pillar of patient advocacy and allyship in the rare and chronic disease community. Through the lens of her lived experiences in healthcare, she has become a champion for patient voices, diversity and inclusion in clinical research, and equitable patient-sponsor partnerships.

Christine brings her unique perspective and honed expertise to countless roles as a featured speaker for numerous conferences dedicated to the rare disease community and disease awareness initiatives. Christine is a dedicated voice for progress with her patient advocacy interests and stimulates dialog on a range of topics important to patients, clinicians, and industry as moderator and host of Health.Reconsidered on Clubhouse. Christine is there for others always and unites people and ideas to improve access to care.

Rasu Shrestha MD MBA

Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Executive VP at Atrium Health

Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA, leads the Atrium Health enterprise strategy, including planning and tactical direction for strategic roadmap and beyond. In addition, he spearheads a renewed focus on innovation, launching new healthcare inventions, discoveries, and ideas to benefit our patients and the communities Atrium Health serves. He also provides executive leadership for corporate communications and marketing, as well as enterprise analytics, showcasing Atrium Health as a meaningful, national brand that leverages the power of data and insights.

Dr. Shrestha is a respected thought leader and visionary in the field of healthcare information technology and was recently recognized as “Executive of the Year” by Healthcare Dive and was acknowledged as one of the “Top 20 Health IT Leaders Driving Change” and as a “Top Healthcare Innovator” by InformationWeek. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and is the Chairman of the HIMSS Innovation Committee, and Co-chair of Health Datapalooza. While he has numerous clinical and corporate credentials, he exhibits an interest in others’ efforts to improve patient care and sees himself as a constant ally in their efforts.

Lori Rose Benson

Executive Director, Hip Hop Public Health – Public Health Change Agent

With more than 25 years of experience in public health and education, Lori joined Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) in 2017 as the organization’s inaugural Executive Director.  Her experience in developing and scaling innovative health, fitness, and wellness programs is aligned with HHPH’s vision to empower youth around the globe with the knowledge and skills to make healthier choices, reducing preventable health conditions and the rising tide of childhood obesity.

Executive leader in the public health, education, wellness, and sports sectors with strong community and organizational ties within New York City, New York State, and across the country. Lori has mobilized a diverse community of educators, entertainers, and health professionals empowering youth with the transformative power of hip-hop. Together with outstanding partners and popular musicians, Lori is changing the beat on how to reach communities with life-saving messages. Watch Lori and Hip Hop Public Health continue to reach people on their terms and to their beat.

Ritesh Patel

Senior Partner, Global Digital Health, FINN Partners – Digital-Health Evangelist

When it comes to uniting people around ideas, expect to see Ritesh Patel in the center of the circle. After seven years at Ogilvy, Ritesh joined FINN Partners in July 2021 as its first global leader for digital health and continues his healthcare digital evangelism uniting academic settings, healthcare companies and industry communities. He consults with clients on digital transformation and connects their ideas and solutions to customers and consumers. Ritesh is a courageously bold spokesperson and shares ideas on numerous forums. A natural collaborator, he is passionate about sharing knowledge with peers and clients on the future of digital in healthcare. Born in Keyna, raised in the United Kingdom, and having relocated to the United States, he takes his ideas on the road speaking at a wide variety of digital and healthcare-centered events across the world.

At heart, he is always a Digital and Social Evangelist. With more than 20 years of Digital Experience, his background includes Online Marketing, Advertising, Sales, CRM, and E-Business. His focus is primarily on digital strategy, tools, platforms, and ecosystems in Healthcare. When he’s not talking digital, expect to find him at his restaurant in New Jersey that specializes in British Indian cuisine. Ritesh is the health sector’s Renaissance person.

Eugene Borukhovich, MBA

Co-Founder and COO YourCoach Health – Global Champion for Self-Care

Eugene is a serial intra- and entrepreneur, executive, venture builder, speaker, and board advisor with a focus on digital health. Eugene is Chairman & COO YourCoach. Along with being co-founder of YourCoach Health, he is the founder of Initium Impact Ventures. Prior to YourCoach, Eugene served as a Global Head of Digital Health at Bayer, and he has also co-founded and sold a doctor rating startup and a consulting company. His work is urgent and important!

By the year 2030, there is estimated that facing a myriad of illnesses resulting from poor self-care, people will look outside the traditional health system to address their needs. Perhaps as many as nine billion people in the world will seek access to global squads of health coaches to heal holistically, mind, body, and soul rather than succumb to non-communicable disease. Eugene sees self-care instead of sick-care as the needed path to sustain lives. He’s ready to engage. Watch what he says and does – it may save your life.

Jeff Ruby, JD, MBA

Co-Founder/CEO, Newtopia, Mobilizing Companies to Employee Wellness

Jeff Ruby is a health innovator and entrepreneur who is passionate about shifting the focus of health care from sick care to keeping healthy people healthy. As a health innovator and global thought leader, he is championing hyper-personalized and engaging strategies to deliver proven, scalable, and sustainable habit change and disease prevention by engaging companies to secure more benefits and outcomes for their employee community.

Prior to founding Newtopia in 2008, Jeff was co-founder and chief operating officer of Cleveland Clinic Canada, a collaboration between the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Canyon Ranch, Canada’s leading destination for preventive health and lifestyle management; co-founder and chief operating officer of Life Screening Centers Inc., a cancer screening and prevention company; and co-founder and head of operations of Genetic Diagnostics Inc., an early-stage biotechnology company commercializing a new genetic diagnostic testing platform. 

Jeff is seeking to sustain and save people’s lives by getting their workplace communities to play a larger role in employee healthcare. He’s right! With companies and employees footing more and more of the health insurance burden, perhaps it’s time that employers took a more active role in their staff’s wellbeing.

Joanne Yoong, PhD

Senior Economist and Director, CESR-East

An experienced economist and interdisciplinary researcher with a past history in the finance, health, and think tank industry underwritten by a Stanford Ph.D. in economics. Joanne is a behavioral economist that has established a world-class reputation as both an outstanding academic and a practitioner.  She is a Senior Economist at the University of Southern California, where she directs the Center for Economic and Social Research in Singapore. She also holds a concurrent appointment at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.

She is a recognized expert in program evaluation across sectors, bringing creative, data-driven solutions to community organizations, governments, and the private sector. Joanne is considered by many leading figures in healthcare to be integral to the wave of changes sweeping through the industry and Medika Life will explore her tireless and innovative efforts in an upcoming Voices of Healthcare feature article.

Ogan Gurel, MD

Innovation Leader, Author, Keynote Speaker, Bioelectromagnetics – Educator

Dr. Gurel is the Chief Science Officer for FLITE Material Sciences and holds academic appointments at the Solbridge International School of Business and DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology). He also serves as a Venture Partner at The Yozma Group and as Chief Marketing Officer for Eidware / SoundMind (Seoul), with previous roles at NovumWaves (Seoul), Nessa Hearing (Singapore); holds additional appointments as Honorary Fellow (University of Melbourne) and Visiting Professor (Libera Accademia Belle Arti–Italy).

Never resting on his laurels, Dr. Gurel was Chief Innovation Officer at Campus D, a Seoul-based startup incubator/Fab Lab, and served more than four years as a Director in the CTO office at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). His business experience spans executive, marketing, clinical, and R&D domains, with expertise in medical devices, digital health, medical imaging, and biopharma while his academic research focuses on protein electrodynamics and terahertz medicine.

He doesn’t just hold onto his knowledge, he shares. Ogan is known for his amazing course called “Mini-Medical School (Mini-MD) a comprehensive, intensive overview of all of medicine, presented for marketing and sales business leaders where he covers the field of medicine – from the perspective of a physician in a few short weeks. It offers the “business side” of life science a glimpse of medicine from the healer’s perspective. Teacher and influencer, we welcome Dr. Gurel to this year’s Medika Life Top 50.

Kellie Lease Stecher, MD

OBGYN, Author, President and Co-Founder Patient Care Heroes

Physician, M.D., OBGYN, Author, Educator, Policy Consultant, Passionate, Determined, Persistent. Dr. Stecher is an advocate for justice, and a leader in the fight against institutional sexism. Her memoir, titled “Delivering” was released in October 2021. Patient Care Heroes was started as a simple social media post to tell the story of a physician hero who ultimately died as a result of caring for her patients with COVID-19, ultimately launching a national conversation about all those in healthcare who risk their lives going to work and providing care for their neighbors.

Kellie is its co-founder and president. Dr. Stecher is an advocate for reproductive rights, healthcare access, mental healthcare access, and gender and racial equity. She continues to work as an OBGYN.

Sedric Degbo, MD

CEO at REMA Medical Technologies, Collaboration that Saves Lives

Based in Benin, Dr. Degbo is engaged in building Africa’s largest medical community on REMA. The intent is to connect African healthcare professionals for better medical decisions. Its approach is to improve the quality of medical decisions by interconnecting all healthcare professionals practicing in Africa through a mobile application enabling them to share knowledge, experiences, and collaborate in real-time about patient cases, to make better decisions and save more lives. Thousands of medical cases are resolved each year via the “REMA” platform, which is used daily by doctors, midwives, and nurses from all over Africa.

Dr. Degbo has won several international awards in Africa, Europe, and America. His expertise is recognized by international health organizations and pharmaceutical groups, which he advises in their development strategies on African markets. In terms of social commitment, he devotes part of his time to promoting youth entrepreneurship and the 3rd sustainable development goal, in particular through conferences or by volunteering on the board of directors of non-profit organizations such as Bluemind Foundation for mental health.

Matthew Herper

Senior Writer, Medicine, Editorial Director Of Events at STAT – Words that Matter

It’s likely not a worthy STAT conversation unless Matt Herper is one of the event moderators. Since he came on the life science scene more than two decades ago he has reported on medical innovation — both its potential and pitfalls — writing about the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of medicine, from Avandia to Vioxx to Zytorin. Some stories left experts pondering about the science, and there are plenty of reasons to consider questions that raise the collective drug safety bar. We have seen his evolution through the years and applaud his efforts to consider all sides. Matt’s dedication to the field of biopharma reporting is exceptional.

Matthew was with Forbes for 18 years before taking the plunge and being one of the earlier top-tier health reporters to join the then-fledgling STAT staff. His decision and its impact accelerated the shift of science journalism from print to digital. We expect more great things will come from the keyboard of Matthew Herper.

Gregg Masters, MPH

Executive Producer at Healthcare Now Radio and Champion for Edgy Ideas

Recognized as a thought leader in healthcare social media and public health, known on social media by his Twitter handle @GreggMastersMPH, Gregg is a champion of voices seeking to improve the health system. He was there as a supporter during the nascent ramp-up of major social media platforms including Fierce Health, Health Information Technology by Health Data Management, and more. Gregg models best practices in digital content development, curation, distribution, and brand amplification. He mentors colleagues in both the strategic and the purposeful day-to-day application of interactive digital media tools from ‘lean’ to turnkey private-label branding.

Gregg is best known through his support for others as producers of numerous HealthcareNow Radio shows including PopUpStudio.productions, PopHealth Week, The AMCP Podcast series Powered by PopHealth Week, ACO Watch, Health Unabashed, HealthInnovationMedia.com fka HIBC.tv, JustOncology.com. He hosts (or co-hosts) several Internet radio programs including ‘This Week in Oncology’, ‘This Week in Accountable Care’ and ‘This Week in Health Innovation.” When there are people who need to be heard be assured Gregg is elevating their voices to the sector.

Todd Eury

Founder/CEO, Pharmacy Podcast Network – Giving Pharmacy Voice

Pharmacy could not have a stronger advocate for the discipline that touches almost every chapter of life – community care, hospitals, senior care and drug development. Todd is their ambassador. He has tapped podcast, digital publication, and professional development to unite the community among America’s most trusted profession – pharmacy.

As founder and executive producer of the Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN), he has built a community of more than 100,000 monthly listeners across more than 30 podcast channels. Todd has transformed the use of audio to improve education, patient care, and professional development. Setting new quality standards in content development with the provider in mind to support evidence-based information in audio form. Building community and elevating the voice of this critical care professional isn’t just a job for Todd – it’s his passion.

Brian Wallach, JD

ALS Patient Advocate, Activist, Inventor, Lawyer

Brian is an attorney and ALS patient who conveys his humanity and as a result, calls upon us to exhibit our empathy and engage. In the aftermath of his ALS diagnosis in November 2017, he and his wife founded “I AM ALS,” a patient-led, patient-centric movement to lead the fight for a cure to the disease and Synapticure to remake the broken, disconnected care system. He is also an associate at the leading law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. From 2014 to 2018, he served as an assistant United States attorney in the Northern District of Illinois.

From 2011 to 2013, he was senior vetting counsel in the Obama White House, responsible for overseeing the vetting process for nearly all Senate-confirmed executive branch appointees and all presidential appointments as well as working on congressional oversight investigations. Brian shares his thoughts about parenting with ALS and his desire to keep pushing himself and our entire health community to press forward and imagine a cure.

Mike Rea

CEO, IDEA Pharma – Challenger of the Drug Development Status Quo

Mike Rea heads Idea Pharma and was voted one of the Top 10 Innovators in the pharmaceutical industry. He is the creator of the annual “Pharmaceutical Innovation Index” and an industry expert in drug development positioning. His thinking and approach have supported more than 25% of the 50 fastest-growing drugs during the past five years and positioned four of the 10 blockbuster launches of 2017. Mike sees the blank space between the notes – in drug development and music. Perhaps it’s his varied interests that help Mike see things differently. He owns an independent record label called Medical Records, his citation on Wikipedia is for establishing the UK college American Football league, and he loves to find some mud and watch his three (or is it four) dogs have fun.

Mike urges biopharma developers to reflect early on how their medicines might reach more people earlier. He suggests that pharma leaders should not make regulatory approval their singular goal – rather, recognize that a successful approach – smart thinking – can lead to more people being helped by medical miracles. Mike is all about making drug development more productive – for patients.

John Lynn

HITMC Founder – Ambassador for Health Information Marketing

John Lynn is the founder of the Healthcare IT Marketing and PR Conference community better known as HITMC.  His energies and focus are centered around enabling wonderful people to connect and plan for a better future and the fragmented health ecosystem is easier for its stakeholders to navigate. John is the founding editor of the blog network HealthcareScene.com, which encompasses five blogs containing almost 11,000 articles that have been viewed more than 18 million times.

He is also co-founder of two companies: InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com and serves as an advisor to multiple healthcare IT companies. John is an ambassador for the growing health information marketing community and in a growing sector of health, expect to see his influence expand. He influences through kindness and concern for others.

Erica (Olenski) Johansen

The Healthcare Futurist and Storyteller of the Patient Journey

Erica is a powerful storyteller, and she has much to share and we must listen. She is part of a new wave of caregiver and patient health influencers whose voices have become more sought so that the health ecosystem – the patchwork and fragmented networks that serve as economic and information gatekeepers – begins to bend to their needs. Erica’s words on “A Vignette of Life as a Pediatric Cancer Mom” or “Where Did My Hair Go,” remind us that we are all vulnerable and rely on each other for support – emotionally and as fellow patient-care advocates.

Her words and her support of the arts as part of therapy help us all image healthcare delivery as more caring and personal. Erica recognizes that people, culture, and technology must find common ground for the sake of our soul and survival. Erica is a must connect and follow – to follow her words and vision for a kinder health system.

Matthew Zachary

CEO and Co-Founder OffScrip Health

Matthew Zachary is a 25+ year cancer survivor and the CEO and Co-Founder of OffScrip Health. He also founded Stupid Cancer and created the first health podcast called The Stupid Cancer Show, which amassed a global listenership with more than four million listens and counting. People Magazine calls him “the people’s voice” in healthcare. As the Founder of the award-winning nonprofit Stupid Cancer, he is recognized as the driving force behind creating the Young Adult Cancer Movement and impacting the lives of millions of people in their teens, 20s, and 30s.

Called “The Howard Stern” and “The People’s Voice” of healthcare, Matthew is now focused on creating the first patient engagement company focused on audio as a transformational medium to improve patient outcomes. His platform hosts wonderful people sharing their ideas with millions of listeners. People like oncologists and cancer survivor Mark Lewis, MD, are part of his growing network of podcast programs that cover rare diseases, health disparities, and more. Matthew’s energy knows no boundaries and his influence is felt through his words, actions, and edgy platforms.

We hope you find this list useful and its members inspiring. More and more, seeing health disparities and the challenges facing health innovators seeking to enter the complex and fragmented health ecosystem, these Influencers seek change and use their voices to advocate for ideas that improve people’s care.

The speed and efficacy with which meaningful policy changes and practices are implemented across the healthcare sphere are influenced to a large degree by voices on this list, our 2021 list, and countless others connected to these people.

Let’s do our part to ensure they are heard. Follow and engage with these outstanding people seeking positive change. Also, follow the people they follow – those people are future candidates for the Medika Top 50 list. Again, with a roster of 50 people, it’s impossible to include everyone we considered – there were hundreds. That is why we urge everyone to visit past lists.

In April, Medika Life plans to release its Top 50 Health Companies List for 2022 featuring fearless innovators who are seeking to advance access to care and accelerate diagnosis and alternative approaches to treatment.

Spot a broken link, typo or name misspelled?

Our apologies! While due care has been taken in compiling this list and adding social media links, sometimes things go wrong or a name is misspelled. Please do get in touch to address typos, amendments, or omissions by reaching gil.bashe@medika.life or robertturner@medika.life. Thanks in advance.

The post The Medika Life 50 – The Most Influential Voices in Health for 2022 appeared first on Medika Life.

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