Would it surprise you if I said that the nation’s medical profession and those at the cutting-edge of technological innovation now have a common purpose? Up until now, you might have thought that such a question could only be answered with a punchline. We haven’t seen much overlap between these two leading communities—but there needs to be. And happily, now there is.
Minding the gap
A lack of connection between tech developers and physicians has left significant gaps between the technology that is available and what is sorely needed. We don’t need to look far for examples—just think of what electronic health records are and what they could be if physicians and patients’ needs and work flows were at the heart of the designs.
But the gaps are more than just the shortcomings of existing technology. We’ve also been missing out on a powerful opportunity.
Harnessing the united strengths of these two groups of professionals could really change the landscape for the health of Americans and our system of care. Both physicians and tech developers are natural problem-solvers, and both look for opportunities to make people’s lives better. But it’s our unique skill sets and perspectives that can come together to create something truly remarkable.
Building the bridge
We have long needed a bridge between physicians and Silicon Valley tech, and I’m pleased to say that this bridge is now in place. Today we founded Health2047, a new integrated innovation company that will conduct rapid exploration of transformational solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the nation’s physicians and the patients they care for.
Because improving the health of the nation is at the core of the AMA’s work, we’re committed to leading the way so that advancements in technology have useful applications in hospitals and clinics, contribute to better health outcomes, and improve central relationships between patients and physicians.
Innovative technology solutions form a common thread among our three strategic priorities of improving health outcomes, creating the medical school of the future and ensuring thriving physician practices. The goal of Health2047 to advance and accelerate innovation at the system level should enhance U.S. health care in ways that will improve the lives of physicians and patients.
Achieving real solutions
Just how will this partnership of communities take place? Health2047 will have an innovation studio in San Francisco and will ensure that the physician perspective is represented in all major innovation cycles as it develops new products, tools and resources that improve the practice of medicine and the delivery of care.
That means that Health2047 will gather physician input at the outset of projects, incorporate physician testing and feedback during prototype development, and leverage physician channels to accelerate market adoption of transformative health care solutions.
In addition, the tech talent at Health2047—which will encompass design, engineering and business development—will partner with AMA experts in a wide range of medical, health policy and pragmatic practice areas and with others in the entrepreneurial and technology world. Together, we’ll create prototypes that lead to commercial products and services that can help alter the future for health care and the medical profession.
While this all may seem very conceptual right now, our goal is to achieve real solutions in the near future. And we intend that these solutions will be ones that make concrete improvements for physicians’ practices, their profession and their patients.
So what do physicians and Silicon Valley have in common? We’re now working side by side on advancements that will improve the health of the nation.
