Can the World’s Most Powerful Technology Drive Connections and Innovation in Health?

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It’s time for a pop quiz.  What’s the world’s most powerful technology: a) mobile, b) nuclear reactors, c) the Internet, or d) Big Data?

Did you pick c?  I hope so because no other technology has influenced every aspect of our lives more than the Web.  It shapes how we learn, love, lounge and luxuriate.  There’s also no question that the Web has had a big impact on health, profoundly transforming how we perceive, seek, provide and receive care.

Twitter is a perfect example of the Internet’s power in health.  Symplur’s Thomas Lee recently observed that while in many areas, “the use of Twitter has leveled off” . . . use [of the platform] is still rising at a rapid rate in healthcare.”  In fact, the company estimates that there are nearly 1 million retweets of health-related content on Twitter every day.

But it’s not the amount of content shared on the network that illustrates Twitter’s power, but the conversations and connections that occur because of the platform.  Each day, people around the world gather for Twitter chats to discuss everything from breast cancer research to how health leaders can drive innovation within and without their organizations.

While it’s true that Twitter and other Web properties are helping to bring patients, providers, innovators and executives closer together, the picture is far from rosy.  The global health industry is still plagued by economic, geographic, organizational and personal silos in many areas, including digital health.  Thousands of people globally are heavily focused on using various interconnected technologies to monitor, shape and improve health and well-being.  Yet, even in this sector, people are operating in sometimes heavily fortified silos unaware of insights and methods that could greatly improve or accelerate their efforts.

Silos also harm patients. For example, they can prevent needed innovations from coming to market. Or, they can result in technologies that do not meet patients’ needs.

One of the ways, patients, providers, entrepreneurs and others have sought to eliminate silos is by bringing people together to participate in events such as conferences and meetups.  Some in digital health have embraced events as a method of accelerating idea exchange, relationship development and more.  In fact, it seems as if a week doesn’t go by without another announcement of a digital health-themed conference happening somewhere around the world.

Looking around the current conference-saturated landscape, it makes sense to ask whether we need another digital health event.  This question was very much on my mind as I thought about whether it made sense to launch our new summit, digihealth pulse Virtual 2014 (DHPV 2014).  After much deliberation, I decided that the answer was “yes.” Why?  Well, because harmful silos in digital health (and healthcare) still exist, and we need to do a lot more to eliminate them.

DHPV 2014’s mission is to unleash the digital health innovation virus. We hope to achieve this by dismantling silos and creating a convenient and robust virtual space for people to exchange ideas, hear new insights, make valuable connections and more.  There are many things that make DHPV 2014 unique, including:

• It’s An All-Web Event: DHPV 2014 harnesses the world’s most powerful technology, the Internet, to bring people together across time zones and geographic boundaries.
• It’s Diverse:  More than 25 of the world’s most forward-thinking experts will provide unique perspectives on critical issues in digital health.  For example, noted health activist and entrepreneur Esther Dyson will talk about how she hopes know-how and techniques developed in the technology arena will boost community health.  Patient advocate Amy Tenderich will talk about why the diabetes community is taking matters into its own hands by refusing to wait for industry and others to build devices and technologies that actually serve patients.  Unity Stoakes, co-founder of StartUp Health, an organization that is building a worldwide movement of entrepreneurs dedicated to transforming health, will discuss what it really takes to drive innovation.  You’ll hear from recognized voices and others who are less well known, but equally as insightful.
• It’s Convenient: Attend every session from the comfort of your home or office.  Really bring conference insights back to your team, colleagues and others by accessing archived video, audio and transcripts after the event.
• It’s Provocative: Lectures are okay, but unrehearsed responses are one of the things that makes a conference worth attending.  Every speaker will engage in lengthy Q&A with me and attendees designed to provoke thoughtful responses.
• It’s Calibrated to Foster Offline Connections: Online events can’t replace face-to-face contact.  However, we’ve built in numerous opportunities for attendees to hear from each other and easily connect during and after the event.  People will be able to go beyond exchanging business cards and engage in thoughtful conversations that help them get to know each other better and facilitates offline relationship building.

We’re looking for people who believe in the power of the Web to dismantle silos, hunger for truly unique thinking and insights and are excited to learn about health’s next frontier.  If this sounds like you, please join us for DHPV 2014.  Click here to register today.  (Bonus: Use the coupon code SYMPLURDHPV15 to take 15% off the individual or group registration fee.)

Follow the conference at #DHPV2014.

Symplur - @symplur

Symplur creates products purpose-built for healthcare to make the move from insight to action as simple as possible.