Why this blog today? To emphasize what lab medicine needs, i.e., a holistic approach from a holistic viewpoint to solve the current problems we are facing. Using technology, with a business mindset to help patients.
The other week I was honored to present my use case, a holistic approach from a holistic viewpoint “AI tools in healthcare, a path to implementation” at the seminar “Innovation in medical technology and entrepreneurship cross Harvard”. Not only did I enjoy and felt grateful to be amongst entrepreneurs like myself, I felt driving energy vibrating coming from the audience and throughout the room.
It was wonderful to notice that people in the room were hungry to absorb information, and are critical thinkers about information provided to them. Testing whether the content just provided was understood. Our questions and conversations continued at the networking reception after the seminar. I truly enjoyed these engaging conversations, as well as the sharing atmosphere.
What stood out was – and I express what might already be known to you and not a surprise to you after reading the seminar title – having medical knowledge and business combined leads to great drive forward. The understanding of the applicability of the technology in the medical setting is one crucial element, the other is how do we ensure it also will be used.
What I have seen so often, unfortunately too often, is a great technology and the use of it is not being adopted. Next, there could also be technology, which is great to the user, but the applicability to the provider is missing. Last, there is this great technology for the user, as well as for the provider, but the costs are not justified. These three factors, i.e., implementation, applicability and value need a holistic approach so it can benefit everybody.
By combining medical technology with entrepreneurship, these three elements will be holistically evaluated and all taken into account. One could think, this is not new, this is business. True. What is new, is that this approach is now being offered as a series of seminars by Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD) with real use cases at Harvard. An energetic group of clinicians, students, investigators, and entrepreneurs who have passion to drive healthcare and using this era of digitization to embrace the digital future of healthcare.
It was inspiring to having conversations with the audience at the network reception. I listened to many great ideas, and some of them were already transferred into successful proof of concept, and some were in seeding rounds.
This is why this blog today. To emphasize once more, that this is what lab medicine needs, a holistic approach, a holistic viewpoint to solve the current problems we are facing. Using technology, with a business mindset to help patients.
