Predictions are something I make often in my line of work. As someone who has been making healthcare predictions for more than 2 decades – and keeping score of how often they come true – I admit it is a humbling pursuit. Some predictions end up being flat out wrong. Others turn out to be …
Predictions for Connected Health, Data-Sharing, and Business Model Disruption Read More »
People are living longer, but not necessarily healthier. It’s unsettling to think about it in these terms but, in our lifetime, it’s unlikely that any of the lifestyle related diseases—like obesity, diabetes and heart disease—will be cured by a pill. Yet the most effective weapons we have to battle chronic disease include more daily activity …
Virtual visits are increasingly the rage amongst forward-thinking healthcare providers that want to jump on the telehealth band wagon. Extending the office visit across distance, using the same technology we use to keep in touch with loved ones (videoconferencing such as Skype and FaceTime), is a safe and logical way for providers to venture into …
I was fortunate to be invited to speak at the recent AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) conference in Nashville. This is an annual gathering of health insurers and it was my first time attending. My experience there, and a few recent news items, got me thinking about about how health care is evolving and whether …
In the seven or so years I’ve been blogging, I’ve only written a few posts that prompted controversy in the comments section. Looking back, I notice that these posts have involved chronic illness management, motivation, adherence and/or engagement. In fact, a commentator recently felt my writing was that of an old-fashioned doctor who believes that …
Different Chronic Illnesses Demand Different Connected Health Strategies Read More »
A couple of years ago, my clinical practice (Dermatology Associates at Massachusetts General Hospital) began sending patients a bill when they did not show up for an appointment. Dentists do this with some frequency, but it’s unusual for a physician practice to do it. Our reasoning was that we have many folks who insist they …
Criteria for Stage 3 of meaningful use of EHRs were released recently and there is lots of controversy, as would have been predicted. One set of recommendations that is raising eyebrows is around patient engagement. The recommendations include three measures of engagement, and providers would have to report on all three of them, but successfully …
Patient Engagement: Overused Sound Bite or Transformative Opportunity? Read More »
Just three weeks ago, I wrote about sign posts on the road to connected health adoption. That post was meant to help readers appreciate the subtleties of a changing environment. A turn of phrase by a senior executive or thought leader can easily be missed if you’re not listening carefully. In this case, a senior …
More Sign Posts on the Road To Connected Health Adoption Read More »
Everett Rogers is credited with the seminal text book on adoption, The Diffusion of Innovations. It is required reading for anyone who is interested in how new ideas become integrated into the fabric of life’s activities. I read this text back in the mid 90’s when we started working in telehealth and it influenced my …
Sign Posts on the Road to Connected Health Adoption Read More »
The hype around wearables is deafening. I say this from the perspective of someone who saw their application in chronic illness management 15 years ago. Of course, at that time, it was less about wearables and more about sensors in the home, but the concept was the same. Over the years, we’ve seen growing signs …