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Arctic15 Health Track: Insights from Arctic15’s Health Track: Exploring Digital Health
Arctic15’s Health Track, curated by Aki Koivistoinen, delved into the state of digital health. This article provides an overview of the track, including key insights from an interview with Aki, the Startup Health ambassador, and highlights from the panels and keynote presentation.
Key Points:
- Digital health presents unique challenges and opportunities for startups.
- Doctors did not prescribe apps as anticipated, but individuals took charge of their own health.
- Pandemic made the health care innovation disaster for many startups – but still it was the best thing for the health tech innovation.
Panel Discussions and Keynote Presentations:
- Topics included the role of AI in healthcare, patient-centric care, and digital therapeutics.
- Challenges addressed encompassed regulation, data privacy, and collaboration between stakeholders.
The Current Health Tech Scene: Navigating Pandemic Disruption and Shifting Mindsets
The pandemic had a significant impact on the health tech scene, causing disruption and challenges for many startups. However, it also brought about a positive shift in mindset regarding the importance of access to healthcare. During the lockdowns, sacrifices were made in terms of treating people with chronic diseases adequately, highlighting the need for digital solutions that enable continuous monitoring and treatment between scheduled visits.
Industry Outlook: Shifting from Calendar-Based to Need-Based Healthcare;
The industry now recognizes the significance of health, leading to a demand for digital solutions from both healthcare professionals and patients. This shift creates an opportunity to move from calendar-based healthcare to need-based care. The pandemic served as a realization for everyone involved, emphasizing the importance of timely access to healthcare services.
Medical Corporations and Startups: Evolving Partnership Dynamics:
The perception of pilots as a primary route to partnerships has changed. Instead, the focus is on value and capability alignment, shared vision, and solving specific problems together. Startups with unique capabilities and solutions that complement the strengths of health/pharma corporations will be the winners. Pharma corporations, with their patients and reimbursed care pathways, will always have a strong position.
Post-Pandemic Life and Startups: Transforming Services and Guiding Choices
The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way people think about services, emphasizing the need for availability and guidance in making informed choices. Startups in the health tech sector are well-positioned to meet these evolving demands and contribute to a more accessible and patient-centered healthcare system.
The Continued Growth of Startup Health:
Startup Health has witnessed steady growth, with over 440 companies emerging within the first 12 years, of which 350 are still active today. This ongoing expansion signifies the positive trajectory and success of the Startup Health family of health transformers in driving innovation and shaping the future of healthcare.
And then about the touching keynote by Dr. Orma Berry: Empowering Cancer Research and Personal Journey
Dr. Orma Berry, Director of Technology at Google Cloud, delivered a powerful keynote during the Health Track. Her personal experience with cancer, from a prognosis of just five months to transforming it into viable clinical research, showcased the importance of resilience and technology in healthcare.
Key Takeaways:
- Dr. Berry’s journey taught the value of perseverance and never giving up.
- She harnessed data analysis to prioritize treatment options, highlighting the potential of precision medicine.
- Her story celebrated life and the achievements made through advancements in healthcare.
Orma Berry’s keynote left a lasting impact, emphasizing the power of data-driven research and the intersection of technology and healthcare in improving cancer care. Her story serves as an inspiration and highlights the ongoing progress in oncology.
Conclusion: Arctic15’s Health Track provided valuable insights into the digital health landscape. Aki’s involvement in innovative ventures showcased his expertise, while the panels emphasized collaboration and the importance of patient-centric approaches. With ongoing advancements, events like Arctic15 foster knowledge sharing and meaningful connections in the digital health sector. Nice job Aki and the Arctic15 team. Was great meeting so many new entrepreneurs, along with the usual suspects of the startup ecosystem. Seems and feels, as put it: Never Never Never give up, Life is great.
