Faces of Digital Health

When it comes to cancer, prevalence is increasing and there is still a lot we don't understand about the factors and causes of cancers.Many studies have clearly demonstrated the benefits of biomarker testing for cancer therapy. However, broadly speaking, roughly 30% of cancer patients are eligible for targeted therapies based on their tumor profile. And even when the biomarket is present, roughly 30% of the eligible patients respond to these treatments.We have a lot more to uncover.In the discussion you are about to hear, I spoke with Luka Ausec - an expert in the field of biology and computational science. He works as the Chief discovery officer at Genialis, RNA biomarker company which develops and validates clinically actionable biomarkers informed by the world’s most ethnographically diverse cancer data sets to better predict patient responses and guide treatment decisions for targeted inhibitors, immunotherapies, and other emerging therapeutic classes.Luka oversees internal R&D and external partner projects, with the common goal of advancing therapeutic discovery through the rigorous application of data science. Luka’s expertise in biology and computational disciplines makes him uniquely adept at innovating solutions at this nexus. He believes a successful discovery process is built on clear lines of communication and unwavering scientific integrity. In addition, Luka directs the implementation of Genialis’ products.We discussed the current state of cancer research, role of computational science in drug discovery, clinical decision support development and response predictions development in the field of cancer.Read more on cancer research and digital health in our newsletter: https://substack.com/home/post/p-78204410Website: www.facesofdigitalhealth.comNewsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

This episode of Faces of Digital Health explores how digital health solutions can be evaluated for quality and reliability. Tjasa Zajc speaks with Vice President of Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) Doug Mirsky and Boston Children’s Hospital SVP and Chief Innovation Officer John Brownstein about the DIME Seal, a certification designed to help hospitals and clinicians identify trustworthy digital health software.John discusses the challenges hospitals face in selecting and implementing digital tools, emphasizing the resource-intensive nature of evaluation. The DIME Seal aims to reduce this burden by setting a baseline quality standard across evidence, usability, privacy, security, and equity.The conversation also touches on the challenges facing digital health startups, including funding shifts, AI competition, and sustainability concerns. Doug highlights the early success of the Seal and the role it plays in helping both adopters and developers navigate the digital health landscape.The discussion closes with reflections on how digital health innovation will evolve, the role of regulatory bodies, and advice for startups in 2025’s competitive market.Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLkyU4LulVk&t=3s Website: www.facesofdigitalhealth.com #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #HealthTech #DIMESeal #MedicalSoftware #AIinHealthcare #DigitalTherapeutics #Telemedicine #HealthIT #MedicalApps

OneLondon—an ambitious project working to provide a single patient care record for 10 million people across London. Since its inception in 2018, OneLondon has evolved, connecting more healthcare providers, expanding patient access, and tackling critical challenges like end-of-life care, sickle cell disease management, and mental health crisis response. In this episode, Luke Readman, Director of Digital Transformation for NHS England and CEO of One London talks about how the project is transforming care coordination, building public trust, and navigating the complexities of integrating 24 different EHR systems.Three Key Points: Evolution of OneLondon's Shared Care Record – The initiative has expanded significantly since its inception, with increased connectivity, new patient groups being included, and a strong focus on trust and public engagement. Targeted Digital Health Solutions – OneLondon is taking a phased approach to integrating patient groups, such as those with sickle cell disease and those receiving end-of-life care, ensuring clinical leadership and patient involvement in decision-making. Challenges and Future Directions – The project is tackling complex issues like mental health crisis response, social care integration, and hospital-at-home models while navigating a fragmented digital ecosystem with 24 different EHR systems across London. https://www.facesofdigitalhealth.com/Newsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/p/healthcare-digital-transformation

The discussion explores the current landscape of healthcare digitalization in Italy, emphasizing the fragmented regional approach, challenges with interoperability, and the recent strides toward a unified electronic health record (EHR). The guest, Marco Foracchia, CIO of Local Health Unit in Emilia Region, IRCCS sheds light on regional disparities, opportunities for improvement, and strategies for vendors seeking to enter the Italian healthcare market.Challenges in Digitalization:Regional Fragmentation: Northern regions like Lombardy are advanced, while southern areas lag behind.Interoperability Issues: Patients face hurdles when seeking care across regions due to inconsistent systems and processes.Resource and Capacity Gaps: Many organizations lack the expertise to implement complex projects despite funding.Vendor Role: Vendors often sell solutions without assessing if organizations are ready for implementation, leading to underutilized technology.Opportunities and Progress:The EU’s Resilience and Reconstruction Program (PNRR) has driven funding and deadlines for nationwide EHR implementation.Introduction of a second version of the national EHR aims to achieve interoperability across regions.Measurement initiatives like HIMSS EMRAM models are guiding digital maturity.Cultural Transformation:Digital transformation requires a shift in mindset alongside technological upgrades.Building clinician buy-in involves demonstrating clear value and benefits of digital solutions.Advice for Vendors Entering the Italian Market:Partner with established Italian companies due to centralized procurement processes favoring local players.Focus on long-term partnerships and delivering measurable results, not just installations.fodh.substack.comfacesofdigitalhealth.com

David Buller is a Founding Partner at Ascension Life Fund and exited founder of Avantec Healthcare. With his extensive experience of both raising and investing money in digital health he shared insights into:🎯 Strategic positioning for acquisitions in digital health🎯 Lessons from selling a healthcare company🎯 Role of venture capitalists (VCs) in supporting startups🎯 Current and emerging trends in healthcare innovation🎯 Advice for startups navigating the 2025 investment landscapeAcquisition Preparation:Startups must understand potential acquirers’ strategic goals and align their operations (e.g., revenue, margins, customer retention) to fit those goals.Relationships with key suppliers or partners can serve as a natural entry point for acquisitions.Role of VCs:VCs, particularly growth-stage investors, play a critical role in guiding startups toward successful exits.Collaboration includes identifying acquirers and preparing for due diligence.Acquisition Process:Intense due diligence requires companies to have robust financials, contracts, and customer relations in place.Negotiations are influenced by the perceived value and growth potential uncovered during due diligence.Emerging Healthcare Trends:AI-powered drug discovery and diagnostics are transforming healthcare by increasing efficiency and enabling predictive insights.Technologies like remote patient monitoring, automated hospital systems, and data-enabled medtech hold significant promise.Challenges in Scaling:The U.S. offers easier scalability due to its unified healthcare market.European startups face hurdles like diverse healthcare systems, languages, and regulations, but also opportunities in addressing these challenges.www.facesofdigitalhealth.comNEwsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

In this special holiday edition of Faces of Digital Health, healthcare futurist and strategist Zayna Khayat, futurist and founder of NextMed Health Daniel Kraft and digital health expert, CEO of Transform.health Lucien Engelen discuss key trends in digital health and AI. The panel also touches on the role of new players in the health space like supermarkets and tech giants, the importance of prevention in healthcare, and the promising technologies poised to revolutionize the industry. Topics include: Key Trends in Digital Health in 2024European Perspective on Digital HealthAI's Impact on Healthcare CostsFuture of Digital Health and AIChallenges in Healthcare ImplementationExciting Innovations in Digital HealthThe Role of Technology in Preventive HealthFood, Health, and Corporate ResponsibilityPolicy and Legislation in HealthcareSee the video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/hwexC4heHGU?si=ut-V9rqx4yvh1V-Xwww.facesofdigitalhealth.comNewsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

In this episode James Somauroo, Host of The Healthtech Podcast and CEO of SomX, a PR and content agency specializing in healthcare and biotech. They dive into the challenges healthcare companies face in public relations, the role of content marketing, and actionable advice for founders and organizations at different stages of growth. From crafting a messaging house to building trust with clinicians, James shares his expert insights on navigating the complex world of healthcare marketing.Key Discussion Points:Evolution of PR in HealthcareStrategic Marketing Tips for Startups The importance of a "messaging house" (vision, key messages, proof points). Mapping audiences, their pain points, and the channels they use. When to Outsource Marketing Personal Branding for Leadership: Why personal content from founders and leaders often outperforms company content. The challenges of incentivizing employees to engage in content creation on platforms like LinkedIn. Trends and Predictions for 2025: A shift away from generic "AI" branding to more specific terms like computational pathology. The rise of co-pilots in healthcare for reducing administrative burdens. www.facesofdigitalhealth.comNewsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

Several organizations are thinking about the right way to regulate AI and the idea of assurance labs which would test and validate AI solutions in the US healthcare is taking shape. This was the topic we discussed with Brian Anderson - CEO of the coalition for Health AI or CHAI: how will assurance labs look like, how much will assessments cost, who will pay for them, and how will AI “nutrition labels” look like. Summary: Assurance Labs in Healthcare AI The Coalition for Health AI (CHI) is developing a network of quality assurance labs to evaluate AI models in healthcare. These labs aim to provide independent, transparent assessments of AI models' performance across different populations. By the end of 2024, CHI plans to have two certified labs operational, with more to follow in 2025. Model Cards and Evaluation CHAI has introduced "model cards" or "nutrition labels" for AI models, describing their training data, methodology, indications, and limitations. Model cards are created by developers, while assurance labs provide independent evaluation reports. CHAI is working on technical specifications for model cards to ensure consistency and transparency. Goals and Benefits Assurance labs aim to balance innovation with safety in AI development. They can help identify model performance issues across different populations and accelerate improvements. The process is intended to build trust in AI among healthcare providers and patients. Implementation and Challenges CHAI is creating a competitive marketplace of quality assurance labs to keep costs reasonable. Labs must be free from conflicts of interest with AI vendors. Evaluation reports will be published in a public registry for transparency. The cost of evaluations is expected to be in the range of thousands of dollars, not millions. Future Plans CHAI is exploring partnerships with health systems and NGOs to establish quality assurance labs in the EU. The initiative aims to be scalable and adaptable to different geographic regions and populations. www.facesofdigitalhealth.comNewsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

HIMSS, The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is an American not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving health care in quality, safety, cost-effectiveness and access through the best use of information technology and management systems. One way of helping hospitals advance their digitalization efforts is with the help of maturity models. These are assessment questionnaires that position hospital on a level from 1 to 7 on a maturity scale. They can help hospitals benchmark their current digital position and plan better which steps to take to advance on their digital transformation journey. So far, HIMSS designed 6 maturity models:EMRAM - for EMRs,INFRAM - healthcare IT infrastructure,AMAM - for analytics,DIAM - for medical imaging,CCMM - continuity of care model,C-COMM - community care outcomes.In this discussion John Rayner, Senior Director Analytics - EMEA at HIMSS, talks about different maturity models, how hospitals use them, what to be mindful of in digital transformation of healthcare, and more.Key Takeaways: HIMSS models provide a structured pathway for hospitals to achieve digital maturity and improve care. Leadership, clinical engagement, and infrastructure are critical for successful digital transformation. Interoperability is the cornerstone of modern healthcare, requiring system-wide alignment. Key benefits for hospitals: Understanding the current level of digital maturity and identifying gaps. Setting a roadmap for improvement aligned with global standards. Enhancing decision-making for procurement and strategy. Demonstrating progress to stakeholders, ensuring investments lead to measurable outcomes. Validating digital maturity levels, which can serve as a benchmark or "badge" of excellence. Video: https://youtu.be/iHMC339XHIowww.facesofdigitalhealth.comNewsletter: https://fodh.substack.com/

Clinitouch, originating in the UK NHS, is expanding globally with a focus on chronic conditions and adapting to regional nuances in healthcare delivery.In this discussion several speakers discuss telemedicine in the context of Nigeria and South Africa. Speakers are: Bruce Adams, Commercial Director at Clinitouch (UK) Japie De Jongh, CEO, Synaxon (South Africa)Dr John Adesioye, CEO, Utopian Consulting (Nigeria)Liam van Rooyen, System Support Manager (Synaxon, South Africa) Key points: African Context and Healthcare from the TranscriptRole of Remote Patient Monitoring in Addressing Healthcare Gaps:Dr. John Aade (Nigeria) emphasized that remote patient monitoring (RPM) emerged as a practical solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the need for care delivery without physical hospital visits. In Nigeria, RPM is particularly relevant for patients in remote or underserved areas, enabling data collection and transmission to healthcare providers without requiring face-to-face interactions.Community health workers often play a crucial role, stepping in where doctors and nurses are unavailable. They collect patient data, assess needs, and escalate cases to medical professionals when necessary, highlighting RPM's potential in resource-limited settings.The Dual Healthcare Systems in South Africa:Jaapie de Jong (South Africa) explained the dichotomy of healthcare in South Africa: the private sector, serving insured patients with robust infrastructure, and the public sector, catering to the uninsured population through community healthcare clinics (CHCs) and basic clinics.He noted that while the private sector is aligned with international standards, the public sector faces capacity challenges. RPM in South Africa focuses on insured patients with chronic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, to reduce hospital visits and improve care efficiency.Challenges to Technology Adoption in Africa:Both Dr. John and Jaapie highlighted several barriers to adopting RPM technology:Device Compatibility and Connectivity: Limited access to smartphones and stable internet connectivity is a significant challenge. Many patients rely on basic phones and are hesitant to allocate resources for more advanced devices.Trust Issues: Patients often worry about data privacy and fraud, especially in regions like South Africa, where cell phone fraud is common. Providers must build trust by ensuring data security and clarifying the purpose and safety of the technology.Power and Infrastructure Limitations: In Nigeria, power outages and the high cost of diesel for generators disrupt patients' ability to use RPM devices consistently.Economic Considerations and Funding Models:Bruce Adams noted that RPM adoption heavily depends on who pays for the service. In many African countries, healthcare services involve a mix of out-of-pocket payments and insurer-funded models.In South Africa, as explained by Jaapie, medical aid schemes (insurers) play a critical role in covering high-risk, chronic condition patients. However, integrating RPM into existing reimbursement structures and ensuring that providers are compensated for remote care remain challenging.Localized Implementation of UK-Inspired Technology:Bruce Adams stressed the importance of adapting Clinitouch's UK-developed RPM platform to local African contexts. Instead of directly transplanting the UK model, Clinitouch collaborates with local partners to understand specific healthcare needs and tailor the platform accordingly.Jaapie praised the platform's flexibility and customization, noting its suitability for South African chronic disease management programs. The ability to localize the tool for hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic conditions was cited as a significant advantage in addressing Africa’s healthcare challenges.www.facesofdigitalhealth.comhttps://fodh.substack.com/