Transforming Diabetes Care Management with Anand Iyer, Chief Strategy Officer at WellDoc, Inc.
Jul 30, 2019
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Anand Iyer, Chief Strategy Officer at WellDoc, discusses his achievements in mobile health innovation and the potential of wireless technology in healthcare. They also highlight exciting projects, the importance of passion and purpose, collaboration with different industries, and addressing loneliness and mental health in diabetes care.
Engaging patients in their own healthcare is crucial for improving outcomes and empowering patients in managing their conditions using technology as a tool.
WellDoc's BlueStar platform provides real-time precise coaching and feedback to patients managing Type 2 diabetes, utilizing patient-entered data to offer tailored support and guidance while analyzing patient data using evidence-based guidelines and AI to suggest appropriate treatments to healthcare providers.
Deep dives
Passionate engagement of patients is key to improving healthcare outcomes
The main idea of this podcast episode is that engaging patients in their own healthcare is crucial for improving outcomes. Anand Iyer, Chief Strategy Officer at WellDoc, emphasizes the importance of empowering patients in managing their conditions, using technology as a tool. He discusses how WellDoc's BlueStar platform provides personalized coaching and feedback to patients with Type 2 diabetes, guiding them in medication management, diet, activity, and other factors that affect their wellness. By combining patient-facing support with evidence-based guidelines and AI-driven analysis for healthcare providers, BlueStar has shown significant reduction in A1C levels and improved time-in-range for patients. This patient engagement approach is not only impactful for individuals' health and quality of life, but it also offers a significant economic value proposition for the healthcare system.
BlueStar: Contextual coaching for patients and evidence-based guidance for healthcare providers
The podcast explores how WellDoc's BlueStar platform provides real-time precise coaching and feedback to patients managing Type 2 diabetes. BlueStar utilizes patient-entered data to offer tailored support and guidance, helping patients make informed decisions about medication, activity, diet, and other factors affecting their wellness. The platform analyzes patient data using evidence-based guidelines and AI, suggesting appropriate treatments to healthcare providers. By combining patient-facing coaching and clinical decision support, BlueStar has demonstrated significant outcomes, including an average 2.8-1C reduction in A1C levels, four times the FDA's requirement for new drugs. The platform's online and offline capabilities ensure continuous support and adaptability, making it accessible even without a live human coach or internet connection.
Lessons learned: Flexibility, perseverance, and unlocking innovation in healthcare
The podcast highlights the importance of flexibility and adaptability in the healthcare industry. Anand Iyer discusses the need to be open to multiple regulatory pathways, collaborative partnerships, and changing methodologies. He shares WellDoc's journey of overcoming challenges, including initial regulatory restrictions that limited scalability. Iyer emphasizes the importance of perseverance, accepting failures, and quickly moving forward. He encourages organizations to embrace change and align different frequencies within the industry, such as healthcare, software, and technology, to drive innovative value. By staying passionate, purpose-driven, and agile, healthcare organizations can continually improve and make a positive impact.
Future directions: Expanding to new domains, enhancing connectivity, and leveraging data
The podcast delves into the future directions of WellDoc, focusing on expansion and innovation. Anand Iyer discusses plans for BlueStar to extend beyond diabetes management and incorporate other comorbid conditions, such as hypertension, weight management, and more. He also highlights the importance of removing friction and enhancing connectivity, allowing data from various sources, such as wearables and pharmacies, to seamlessly integrate with the platform. Furthermore, WellDoc aims to expand its geographic reach, becoming a global player in digital therapeutics. Lastly, Iyer highlights the immense potential of data and the goal of leveraging it to inform, discover, extrapolate, and adapt, ultimately providing precision medicine and improving outcomes for patients.
