1. Patient Experience and Health Care Delivery Management
From better tools to manage referrals, to appointment scheduling and coordination, to optimizing wait times and more efficient use of hospital resources and space, participants are invited to propose new solutions that will improve patient experience and healthcare delivery, while reducing costs.
Examples include:
- The use of simulation and big data for better administrative decision-making.
- The application of low-cost, reliable, mobile hardware solutions in the healthcare environment to replace aging infrastructure such as fax machines, waiting lines, and sign in ledgers.
- The adoption of service architectures from other consumer-facing businesses such as retail that reduce wait times, improve experience while improving delivery.
2. Rapid and Automated Diagnostic Tools and Monitoring
Through the application of new hardware, materials, software, data and analytics, and mobile applications current diagnostic tools and practices can be transformed to give faster, more accurate, or more efficient diagnoses or continuous monitoring of conditions.
Examples include:
- Software that combines big data techniques and image processing to more accurately diagnose tumors and optimize treatments.
- The combination of low-cost microscopes with mobile devices and image analysis in the cloud to provide in-field testing.
- Mobile apps that continually assess changes in cognitive abilities.
- Application of new open hardware and quantified self tools to assist healthcare prosumers in being more active in their health monitoring process, flagging anomalies early.
- Microfluidics and high-throughput screening.
3. Training and Culture
The application of simulations, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, robotics and haptics are opening up opportunities for better and more cost-effective training of healthcare professionals. The improvement of culture within institutions and the interpersonal and soft skills of the healthcare professional can also benefit from new training tools and technologies.
Examples include:
- Use of AI technologies such as SIRI, Google Now, Watson or Cortana to help doctors develop better bedside interaction in communicating complex care plans.
- Use of VR and haptics to create training simulations to improve skills in delicate procedures such as intubation or IV line insertion.
- Use of AI and natural language processing to create personalized training solutions to train primary care physicians in identifying mental health issues.
