Faces of Digital Health

Laboratory tests provide doctors with crucial information for diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, evaluating organ function, assessing risk factors for diseases and more. Laboratory testing can be reassuring, however, it is often deemed unnecessary. In this short episode recorded at HLTH, we’re going to talk about laboratory test optimization. How can it be done without undermining clinical autonomy, what kind of real-time insights can be offered to doctors with tech and more. You will hear fromPam Stahl, President of of Avalon Healthcare Solutions - American Lab Insights Company, that help payers and providers optimize treatments, improve outcomes, and drive down overall cost. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com Show notes: [00:02:04] - Introduction to Avalon Health Solutions and their role in generating actionable insights from lab results. [00:02:21] - Discussion on the big picture problem in healthcare: the overuse and underuse of lab tests and the drive towards improving clinical decision-making. [00:03:25] - Clarification on Avalon's approach to managing unnecessary tests and their non-involvement in claims adjudication. [00:03:49] - Explanation of how Avalon provides guidance on appropriate test ordering and interpretation based on evidence-based medicine. [00:04:20] - The learning curve for providers in test ordering and the issue of test misuse. [00:05:16] - Areas where lab tests are often underutilized, particularly in cancer diagnosis. [00:05:45] - The potential of using lab data predictively, with a focus on chronic kidney disease. [00:06:20] - How Avalon creates patient profiles and uses predictive analytics to improve healthcare management. [00:06:53] - Avalon's ongoing development of predictive models and their impact on healthcare. [00:07:36] - The challenge of changing the status quo in lab test utilization and the cost savings involved. [00:07:47] - Avalon's growth and the scale of their operations, with a client base of 33 million members. [00:08:00] - The role of patient engagement and communication strategies in healthcare management. [00:08:41] - The importance of accurate and clear communication channels with patients to avoid confusion. [00:09:08] - The rapidly evolving field of genetic testing and Avalon's role in managing the abundance of available tests. [00:10:07] - Addressing concerns about over-systemizing lab test ordering and the potential for provider friction. [00:11:13] - Feedback from clinicians and Avalon's clinical advisory board on the impact of their services. [00:11:55] - The broader implications of cost savings and sustainability in healthcare through better lab test management. [00:12:11] - In-depth look at predictive analytics and its application in healthcare outcome improvements. [00:13:18] - Strategies for Avalon's customer expansion and managing growth.

In this episode, you’re going hear about the German market for digital health startups, the innovation approach at Charite, one of Europe's largest university hospitals, the challenges with digital therapeutics in Germany and beyond. I spoke with Dorothée Marie-Louise Döpfer, Deputy Head of Digital Labs and program Manager of the Digital Health Accelerator & Community Building at Charite UMC Berlin. Dorothee also shared her expectations about the impact of AI on European health systems. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

ePrescribing has become a norm in the US healthcare system. Now, the expanded role of pharmacists and the integration of non-physician prescribers into the healthcare system signifies a move towards a more accessible healthcare model, potentially alleviating some of the clinicians' burdens. Surescripts is the national provider of the ePrescribing infrastructure in the US. In this short discussion, I spoke with Dr. Lynne Nowak, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, and Melanie Marcus, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at Surescripts, about the importance of ePrescribing on a national level, the changing role of pharmacists, and how it facilitates the redistribution of healthcare provision burdens. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

Digital health funding has fallen significantly since 2020. However, funding for Femtech went from 7,6% inside the digital health investments in 2020 to 13,26% in 2022, according to TechCrunch. The awareness about female-specific health-related characteristic has been on the rise for the last several years, which is evident in the growing healthcare innovation space specifically targeting women. In this discussion, you will hear from Marija Butković - founder and CEO of Women of Wearables, a Venture Partner at Simsan Ventures, and an advisor for multiple global organizations in the women's health space. Marija talked about: The challenge of providing appropriate care and support to women (for issues like menstruation, menopause, and conditions like endometriosis) without creating a sense of inequality or sidelining men, data-driven approaches in addressing women's health issues, trends in women's health for the year 2023, including a broader understanding of fertility issues. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

Technically, we've never been more connected or had relationships with as many people as we do today, thanks to social networks on the internet. Yet, while these platforms bring convenience, they are also increasing loneliness and reducing face-to-face interactions. However, technology isn't solely a problem; it can facilitate the easier pairing of individuals who wish to assist those lacking a real-world social network. Take Papa, for example, a company that provides social support by pairing older adults and families with trained and vetted companions known as Papa Pals. In this brief episode, you will listen to a discussion with Ellen Rudy, the former Head of Research and Social Impact, whom I met at HLTH 2023. Ellen shares her insights on the causes of solitude and the potential of technology to mitigate loneliness. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

HLTH is recognized as the United States' number one health innovation event.Its unique and vibrant approach sets it apart from typical industry conferences. Each stage at HLTH is distinctively themed and designed, featuring motifs like the moon, sky, and earth, creating an awe-inspiring experience reminding of of a child's first visit to an amusement park. Beyond the captivating atmosphere, the core attraction of HLTH lies in its substantive content and guests. These include key stakeholders from top tech companies, including pop stars who entered healthcare, or public figures such as Arianna Huffington or Chelsea Clinton. In 2024, HLTH will also be organized in Europe. The event concept will be the same, but the content will be prepared by a European team to touch upon key topics in the European space. While they were enjoying their team building in Ljubljana, Tjasa Zajc sat down with Jody Tropeano, Head of Content at HLTH US and Henry Stoneley, Head of UK and Netherlands. They discussed Jody’s and Henry’s reflections on healthcare in the US, key trends, and challenges. Video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blT9PIJGfuA Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

In patient included or patient centred healthcare approach, patient feedback is key for improved care, and healthcare experience. Pep Health uses a digital platform to collect and analyze patient feedback from various online sources, moving away from traditional, less effective survey methods. The platform provides detailed scores and insights, allowing healthcare providers to make targeted improvements in specific areas like access and quality within their facilities. The data and insights generated are influencing healthcare policies and practices, leading to changes in areas such as maternity services and mental health care delivery. At HLTH 2023, founder of Pep Health Meghan Leaver shared more insights behind: Innovation in the patient feedback gathering, What actionable insight healthcare providers can get from PEP insights, Impact patient feedback analysis can have on policymaking Episode summary: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/blog/why-patient-feedback-is-a-goldmine-for-improvements Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

Generative AI is making waves in healthcare, with an already visible impact in documentation and potential in drug development, medicine, care, and more. With 2023 nearing its end, it's time to reflect on the impact of AI in 2023. This episode offers: 🔍 A recap of AI innovation in healthcare in the past year, 🔎 What has realistically changed in clinical practice, 🔍 Where are the practical applications of AI and LLMs in healthcare, 🔎 How is AI regulated so far and what are the upcoming changes, 🔍 What can we expect in the upcoming years? Speakers: 👉 Shweta Maniar, Director of Global Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Strategy at Google, 👉 Rachel Dunscombe, CEO of openEHR International Foundation, 👉 Kira Radinsky, CEO & CTO at Diagnostic Robotics, 👉 Harvey Castro, MD, MBA., Clinician, Healthcare Futurist, Public Speaker See the video recording if this live stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/Aul1vm2lUzQ?si=RBS9RG4hHRZRqxBU Check out the newsletter for the summary which will be published soon: https://fodh.substack.com/ www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

Women's health refers to a broad range of medical and wellness services specifically tailored to address the unique health concerns of women. Particular focus is on reproductive health, fertility, and menopause. Technology supporting women’s health can go from EHR records, telemedicine services, medical imaging, diagnostic and IVF technology, wearable devices for monitoring health, menstrual cycles, menopause symptoms, robotic surgery in gynecology, and more. This episode focuses on the fertility market with investor Leslie Shrock,author, entrepreneur, and angel investor working at the convergence of health and technology.Leslie Schrock wrote two books: Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy, which mixes the latest clinical research with practical advice for working families andFertility Rules, published in June 2023, which addresses male and female fertility. In this discussion, Leslie shared her insights into: - key misconceptions and lack of knowledge we have around fertility, - how is the market developing, - what technologies she is hoping to see, - what investment models seem to be working so far. Recap: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/blog/fertility-womenshealth-leslie-schrock Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ Website: www.facesofdigitalhealth.com

If you’re still trying to wrap your head around the use of AI in healthcare, this episode will give you an idea about the use of generative AI to create clinical notes during an interaction between a doctor and a patient. Augmedix, a healthcare technology company that delivers ambient medical documentation and data solutions. Their clinician-controlled mobile app uses generative AI to instantaneously create a fully automated draft medical note after each patient visit. I spoke with Manny Krakaris - CEO of Augmedix, about the HOW. How is their data model built, what and what kind of technology do they use in their product? Manny also explains why they’re not covering revenue cycle management or RCM-related codes in their data structuring processes, and what are the biggest challenges in the industry at the moment. The second part of this episode is unrelated to generative AI, and illustrates how existing medical data can be used to create risk prediction tools for medical care. You will hear from Nassib Chamoun, Founder and CEO of the Health Data Analytics Institute, an analytics company that is developing risk modeling methodology to ease clinical decision-making by assigning patients different risk scores based on their medical history. This enables clinicians to design follow-up protocols based on an individual's potential health deterioration. Both discussions were recorded at HLTH. Read a longer article about insights related to generative AI from HLTH, which includes an overview of the key player in medical notes generation space: https://fodh.substack.com/p/generative-ai-in-healthcare. Episode summary: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/blog/ai-for-medical-note-taking-and-risk-scoring-augmedix-hdai Augmedix: https://augmedix.com/ HDAI: https://www.hda-institute.com/ Discussion summary: More about healthcare data in the US: Healthcare data in the US series: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/blog/healthcare-data-series-in-the-us-foundy-epic-komodo?rq=epic%20 Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ Website: www.facesofdigitalhealth.com Leave a rating or review in iTunes: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/subscribe