a16z Podcast When Medicine Goes Virtual
Mar 19, 2020
Vijay Pande and Julie Yoo, general partners at Andreessen Horowitz with deep expertise in bio and healthcare, explore the rapid shift towards virtual medicine. They dissect the difference between virtual care and telemedicine, highlighting what works well and the current pain points, especially around regulation. The conversation dives into the innovative potential of at-home health testing and the essential role of human interaction in virtual contexts. They envision a future where technology, like chatbots and companion robots, enhances patient-centered care.
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Virtual Care's Scope
- Virtual care addresses healthcare system limitations like geographic access and physical infrastructure.
- It encompasses various forms of communication, including video visits, messaging, and remote monitoring, expanding beyond traditional in-person care.
Triage and Telemedicine
- Telemedicine excels in triaging patients, determining who needs immediate care versus home management.
- This is crucial, especially in situations like pandemics where it minimizes physical contact and potential exposure in crowded healthcare settings.
Current State of Virtual Care
- Existing virtual care tools are not yet fully utilizing intelligent routing of patients.
- While some employers and health plans use digital tools for triage, mainstream adoption lags, and most virtual visits still involve traditional queuing.