Faces Of Digital Health

In this episode James Somauroo, Host of The Healthtech Podcast and CEO of SomX, a PR and content agency specializing in healthcare and biotech. They dive into the challenges healthcare companies face in public relations, the role of content marketing, and actionable advice for founders and organizations at different stages of growth. From crafting a messaging house to building trust with clinicians, James shares his expert insights on navigating the complex world of healthcare marketing. Key Discussion Points: Evolution of PR in Healthcare Strategic Marketing Tips for Startups The importance of a "messaging house" (vision, key messages, proof points). Mapping audiences, their pain points, and the channels they use. When to Outsource Marketing Personal Branding for Leadership: Why personal content from founders and leaders often outperforms company content. The challenges of incentivizing employees to engage in content creation on platforms like LinkedIn. Trends and Predictions for 2025: A shift a

Several organizations are thinking about the right way to regulate AI and the idea of assurance labs which would test and validate AI solutions in the US healthcare is taking shape. This was the topic we discussed with Brian Anderson - CEO of the coalition for Health AI or CHAI: how will assurance labs look like, how much will assessments cost, who will pay for them, and how will AI “nutrition labels” look like.  Summary: Assurance Labs in Healthcare AI The Coalition for Health AI (CHI) is developing a network of quality assurance labs to evaluate AI models in healthcare. These labs aim to provide independent, transparent assessments of AI models' performance across different populations. By the end of 2024, CHI plans to have two certified labs operational, with more to follow in 2025. Model Cards and Evaluation CHAI has introduced "model cards" or "nutrition labels" for AI models, describing their training data, methodology, indications, and limitations. Model cards are created by developers, while a

HIMSS, The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is an American not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving health care in quality, safety, cost-effectiveness and access through the best use of information technology and management systems. One way of helping hospitals advance their digitalization efforts is with the help of maturity models. These are assessment questionnaires that position hospital on a level from 1 to 7 on a maturity scale. They can help hospitals benchmark their current digital position and plan better which steps to take to advance on their digital transformation journey.  So far, HIMSS designed 6 maturity models: EMRAM - for EMRs, INFRAM - healthcare IT infrastructure, AMAM - for analytics, DIAM - for medical imaging, CCMM - continuity of care model, C-COMM - community care outcomes. In this discussion John Rayner, Senior Director Analytics - EMEA at HIMSS, talks about different maturity models, how hospitals use them, what to be mindful of in digital tran

Clinitouch, originating in the UK NHS, is expanding globally with a focus on chronic conditions and adapting to regional nuances in healthcare delivery. In this discussion several speakers discuss telemedicine in the context of Nigeria and South Africa. Speakers are: Bruce Adams, Commercial Director at Clinitouch (UK) Japie De Jongh, CEO, Synaxon (South Africa) Dr John Adesioye, CEO, Utopian Consulting (Nigeria) Liam van Rooyen, System Support Manager (Synaxon, South Africa) Key points: African Context and Healthcare from the Transcript Role of Remote Patient Monitoring in Addressing Healthcare Gaps: Dr. John Aade (Nigeria) emphasized that remote patient monitoring (RPM) emerged as a practical solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the need for care delivery without physical hospital visits. In Nigeria, RPM is particularly relevant for patients in remote or underserved areas, enabling data collection and transmission to healthcare providers without requiring face-to-face interactions. Com

Laura Hilty has spent over 18 years working to improve the healthcare ecosystem, over 14 years of that in clinical research. She has held leadership roles spanning corporate strategy, M&A, product strategy, product management, and partnerships across stages from company start-up to scale, through Forte / Advarra and Epic. In this short discussion recorded at the Digital Health and AI Innovation Summit in Boston 2024, she explained a few tips companies can use to improve their product development.  Key points:  Collaboration and Deep Understanding: Startups must dive deep into understanding problems by engaging in extensive collaboration and interviewing diverse stakeholders. Conducting numerous conversations helps reveal recurring themes and deeper insights. Validation with Customers: Before advancing with a solution, startups should validate it with potential customers, ensuring they are willing to buy and clarifying how it fits into their workflows seamlessly. Active Listening and Detachment: Companies ne

This short discussion with Rachel Dunscombe, CEO of openEHR International Foundation, was recorded in Reading at the first openEHR Annual conference. Rachel Dunscombe discussed trends in data standards and the importance of structured data for the future development of AI. Recap of the discussion: Historical Context and Progress in Data Standards: Thirty years ago, the "Good European Healthcare Record" initiative aimed to create a standardized European healthcare record. How does it relate to EHDS and efforts for single patient records on European level. Unlike the past, today's digital landscape and AI advancements underscore the importance of standardized, actionable data for remote care and patient self-management. Collaboration Among Standards Bodies: Recent years have seen increased cooperation among standards organizations like FHIR, OpenEHR, and SNOMED, with a focus on complementing rather than duplicating efforts. Standards bodies are now defining clearer roles and working together toward a u

In this discussion, strategist, and applied health futurist Zayna Khayat explores the evolution of healthcare, particularly the shift towards home-based care and patient empowerment. Key themes include: Language in Healthcare: Khayat stresses the need for a language shift to change mindsets in healthcare, highlighting that words shape reality. She proposes retiring overused terms like “innovation,” “patient-centered,” and “telemedicine,” advocating instead for more precise language that reflects modern, patient-empowering approaches. Technology in Care Delivery: Khayat is excited about how AI and virtual reality (VR) are transforming healthcare. She sees AI as instrumental in reducing clinician workload by handling repetitive cognitive tasks, while VR is proving beneficial in medical training and therapies like pain and anxiety management. Shift to Home and Virtual Care: Drawing on her experience in home-based chemotherapy, Khayat discusses the challenges of moving healthcare out of hospitals, from reimbursem

Grace Cordovano is an expert healthcare navigating solutionist and award winning, board-certified patient advocate, and Grace Vinton is an account director at Amendola, Patient Advocate, and the host of Like a Girl Media's Podcast "HITea With Grace”. In this discussion, recorded at Digital Health and AI Summit in Boston, they discussed AI use cases for improved patient experience in healthcare, how patients already use AI, and more.  Read the summary of the event in our newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/p/ai-digital-health-pharma Key points:  AI can significantly reduce the administrative burden on patients, especially those managing chronic conditions, caregiving responsibilities, or complex medical records. Patients are using tools like ChatGPT to prepare for medical appointments by generating lists of questions and organizing medical records. AI can assist with translating complex medical information into more understandable language. Patient advocates emphasized the importance of involving patien

In this episode Gary Monk, independent consultant with over 25 years in the pharma and healthcare sectors where he worked in roles from R&D to business IT and strategic marketing, talks about the current state of digital therapeutics, remote patient monitoring, the potential of AI in healthcare, and the challenges with data integration. He also shares his personal insights on the use of wearables and their impact on health anxiety. Key Discussion Points: Digital Therapeutics and Integration Challenges Fragmentation in the Space: Many digital therapeutics are siloed, with individual apps that do not integrate well with each other or broader healthcare systems. Potential for Holistic Solutions: apps and digital therapeutics need to be more connected, for example, integrating with wearables or offering treatments. Uncertain Future: While optimistic in the long term, Gary is cautious about short-term setbacks, noting that companies in this space may struggle without proper evidence and reimbursement models in pl

If social media and smartphones are the root cause of the new mental health epidemic in younger generations, how successful can digital interventions be in addressing mental health issues? In this discussion, recorded at Digital Health and AI Innovation Summit in Boston in October, Katherine Wolfe-Lyga, Mental health professional and former college administrator, Vice President at BetterMynd, discussed: Digital Mental Health Interventions: Digital health solutions, especially telehealth, have improved access to mental health care, particularly for students in rural areas and those reluctant to seek help in person. The stigma around seeking mental health care is still significant but decreasing. Equity and Access: Colleges have become more inclusive, admitting students from underprivileged backgrounds who often face challenges that current campus support systems are not fully equipped to address. Digital interventions are helping bridge these gaps. Impact of Smartphones and Social Media: The pervasive use of

In this episode of Faces of Digital Health, Michael, an experienced innovator with over 80 patents and a professor in multiple countries, joins to discuss the future of digital health. The conversation dives deep into the concepts of innovation, patent strategies, and the challenges in digital health funding. Michael shares his insights on current investment trends, the future of healthcare, and the potential of technologies like AI and digital tools to redefine medicine. Website: https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/ Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ Key Points: The Role of Patents in Innovation: Michael holds 80 patents, but only a few have translated into successful innovations. Patents serve as a starting point for innovation, not necessarily as a direct path to commercialization. Challenges in Patent Development: The difficulty in checking if something has already been patented due to the 18-month confidentiality period. Patenting as a strategy to establish a foundation for future projects and sta

Better is a healthcare IT provider of a healthcare data platform, low-code tools that help healthcare organisations to rapidly build applications that suit their specific need and hospital medication management software, working across 20 markets. In this episode, based on 30+ years of experience, Tomaz Gornik, CEO of Better explained: - what is a data platform in healthcare, - what motivates vendors to NOT lock customers in their systems - EHDS implementation from the healthcare IT perspective, - the power of legislation and tender processes in shaping the future of digital health, - how do digital health vendors get the first customer in healthcare, - How do companies survive the long sales cycles - 3 or more years in public systems, and how is this impacting their business models, - the role of design in health, - and more. Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/ https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/

There are over 200 hospital trusts in the UK, encompassing more than 1,200 hospitals. With those numbers and a population of 67 million, the United Kingdom represents quite a large market. However, selling to the NHS is anything but easy. Mindy Simon is Co-Director at the NHS Innovation Accelerator. She is responsible for the program's execution and provides guidance to innovators and startups that already have customers. In this episode, Mindy talked about the importance of gaining visibility within the NHS, which she says is the biggest struggle for startups. We also discussed tender processes that contribute to innovation procurement and the challenges related to the requirements in tenders. For example, startups need to be mindful of their carbon emissions—how much space software uses in the cloud or how equipment is disposed of, if you're a provider of hardware. Apply for the accelerator by 14 October 2024: https://nhsaccelerator.com/apply/apply-nia-2025-intake/ Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

Daniel Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor and entrepreneur focused on accelerating much improved future of health and biomedicine at the convergence of accelerating technologies and human innovation. He is the founder of NextMed Health & Digital.Health, Chairs the XPRIZE Health Alliance, and is a sought after speaker on the future of medicine, with 6 TED & TEDMED Talks.   Join NextMed Health in December 2024 in San Diego: https://www.nextmed.health/ In this discussion, Daniel talks about:  - Basic Health Practices: The importance of sleep, diverse food, exercise, and social connections as foundational health practices, alongside high-tech tools. - Longevity vs. Healthspan: The discussion shifts from living longer (longevity) to improving the quality of life in later years (healthspan), through proactive health measures. - Behavior Change is Key: Digital health innovations, while advanced, still face challenges in encouraging sustained behavior change, which is crucial for

This episode features Dr. Chelsea Sumner discussing NVIDIA's significant role in healthcare, particularly in its work with AI startups. Key areas of focus include NVIDIA’s contributions to medical imaging, genomics, and drug discovery, and its innovative tools like Clara and NIMs. The conversation highlights how NVIDIA collaborates with startups, its global footprint, and insights into AI’s transformative potential in healthcare. Key Points: NVIDIA’s Role in Healthcare: GPUs in Healthcare: NVIDIA's graphics processing units (GPUs) power AI and are pivotal in medical imaging, genomics, and drug discovery. Clara Platform: A suite of healthcare-focused AI tools supporting genomics (Parabricks), medical imaging (Moni), robotics (Isaac), and drug discovery (BioNemo). Collaboration with Startups: Inception Program: NVIDIA supports over 3,000 healthcare startups globally, offering them tools, resources, and access to venture capital (VCA). Diverse Startup Sizes: Startups range from small two-person teams t

This episode gives an in-depth insight into healthcare digitalization in Portugal. Cátia Sousa Pinto, Head of Global Digital Health and International Affairs at SPMS - shared services of ministry of health of Portugal talked about healthcare digitalization in Portugal, European Health Data Space (EHDS), patient data and more. Key Points Summary Portugal's Digital Health System Design: To accelerate digital health development, Portugal created a national eHealth agency (SPMS) over a decade ago. SPMS Role: SPMS plays a dual role, not only regulating but also developing and maintaining ICT solutions for Portugal's healthcare system. This centralization helps prevent fragmentation and ensures interoperability. European Health Data Space (EHDS): EHDS is the EU's regulatory framework for cross-border health data sharing, building on initiatives like MyHealth@EU. The goal is to allow seamless healthcare across Europe, where any EU citizen can access healthcare in other countries as if they were at home. My

In this episode Anne Forsyth, Director of Clinical Applications and Support at Women’s College Hospital in Canada, discusses the challenges and opportunities in optimizing healthcare IT systems, particularly in data management and digital literacy. She shares her experiences transitioning from a policy role to a hospital setting and emphasizes the importance of data governance, workflow design, and continuous improvement in digital health projects. Key Takeaways: Community and Collaboration: Canada’s digital health community is a significant asset in advancing healthcare IT. AI and Data Standards: The adoption of AI in healthcare is promising but requires robust data governance and standards. Importance of Fundamentals: Good governance, workflow optimization, and training are crucial in creating sustainable healthcare IT systems. Digital Health Literacy: Clinicians need focused training on using digital tools correctly rather than deep technical knowledge. Cybersecurity Preparedness: Hospitals must p

In healthcare, consultants are present more often than we might realise: they work with healthcare providers to improve clinical efficiency, manage costs, implement new technologies, or streamline administrative processes. They can help with regulatory compliance, help insurance companies design new poducts, governments hire them to help with policy development, program evaluation, and implementation of new regulations.  In this episode we take a look under the hood of consultancy work, where governments make biggest mistakes and how consultants approach problem-solving. Mehdi Khaled is Internal Medicine Doctor and Fortune 50 Health Tech Executive, with over 25 years of international experience. He has helped shaping many large-scale, transformative digital health projects across four continents and within 40 health systems. As a Managing Partner at Seha, he specializes in developing and executing cutting-edge health and digital health strategies, with a strong emphasis on the meaningful use of data to drive

Catalonia published a new digitalization strategy in 2017. It set a new path of the healthcare IT infrastructure, based on open-platform approach, focusing on data persistence with the use of openEHR data specification. In this discussion, you will hear from Jordi Piera Jiménez, Director of the Digital Health Strategy Office at the Catalan Health Service and Director at openEHR International, representing organisational members. He discussed specifics of the Spanish healthcare market, how far Catalonia came since 2017, how is Catalonia building, using and updating a multi-morbidity scoring system for patients which enables easier clinical decision making, cybersecurity attacks and ultimate improvement in information security measures, and more. www.facesofdigitalhealth.com Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

Artur Olesch is Berlin-based journalist specializing in digital health, the founder of aboutDigitalHealth.com, and the editor-in-chief of ICT&Health International. In this discussion, he shares his thoughts on the European legislation of healthtech, his thoughts on most intriguing books in tech and AI, and more.  His 3 book picks:  Ray Kurzweil - Singularity is nearer  Ethan Mollick - Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI Philip E. Tetlock, Dan Gardner - Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction Show notes: 03:00 About Ray Kurzweil - Singularity is nearer  10:00 Ethical use of healthcare data - how sharing is connected to democratic values  14:00 Data analytics and data use examples and inspiration 17:00 DiGA in the field: do doctors know it  18:45 Approach to behavioral health improvement and the role of digital 20:00 Book 2: Ethan Mollick - Intelligence  22:58 Predicting disease - yes or no?  26:00 Best insights from conference, top topic: ambient intelligence systems  35:00 Hopes and fear