Anmol Madan is co-founder and CEO of Ginger.io, which provides digital mental health support for people with depression and anxiety. Madan has published extensively on modeling large-scale human behaviour using statistical models and pattern recognition, and is a frequent speaker on behavioral analytics, machine learning, data privacy and health care entrepreneurship. This op-ed is part of a series provided by the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers, class of 2015. Madan contributed this article to Live Science’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
Possibly the most complex system that health-technology developers face today has nothing to do with hardware, software or even human behavior — rather, it’s the U.S. health care system.
I’m a data scientist by training and by trade, and we’re very pragmatic people. We identify problems, peel back the layers of complexity to look for a root cause, and develop a systematic way of addressing theproblem to build a better solution for the future.
In health care, however, those layers are much more intricate, and surprisingly few people can agree on what the “problem” actually is, much less the solution.
From my experience developing Ginger.io and building mental health innovation into health care delivery, I have learned that adoption of these three reforms are critical for the global health care community to scale its impact and provide the right care for those who need it.
1. Embrace technology
We are fortunate enough to live in a time of great technological advancement. This has come in the form of machine learning, 3D printing, predictive analytics, advanced optics, impossibly small sensors and all-around computational power. But when it comes to health care, technology has clearly surpassed the ability of research to keep pace.
Hospitals and doctors are adopting new technologies as they become clinically and commercially viable, but convoluted and burdensome systemic pressures — such as competing incentives, byzantine payment models and legal hurdles — have stymied the pace of innovation. This not only increases the time it takes for these new technologies to enter the market, but also can be a major deterrent to new entrepreneurs — a barrier to entry in an industry that is arguably the most worthy of innovation and human ingenuity: saving lives. [Surgeon’s Helper: 3D Printing Is Revolutionizing Health Care (Op-Ed)]
Nations have the tools to create a much healthier global population, but they’re missing clear opportunities to leverage technological solutions in response to global health threats such as malaria, heart disease and depression. The global community must invest in helping entrepreneurs tackle these difficult problems and navigate the complicated bureaucratic structures currently in place.
2. Give patients the tools to self-manage
We’re now living in an era defined by self-service. People prefer ATMs and smartphones to banks, online shopping to brick-and-mortar stores, and Wikipedia to libraries. When younger generations get sick today, they are more likely to visit WebMD.com or perform a quick Google search to understand their symptoms long before they reach the doors of a doctor’s office. This represents a huge shift and a serious opportunity for both patients and providers of health care. [9 DIY Ways to Improve Your Mental Health]
Research from Accenture shows that more than 90 percent of patients want to self-manage their health care through technology. This includes managing their data and health care records, of course, but it also extends to managing chronic and acute health conditions. In fact, mobile applications analysts at research2guidance estimate that 1.7 billion people will have downloaded health apps by 2017, adding up to an impressive $26 billion global industry.
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