From "Wall-less Hospitals" to Skin-Embedded Chips: Predictions for the Future of Health Tech

SAN FRANCISCO, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its upcoming Health:Refactored conference, Health 2.0 wants to help developers and designers envision the future of health tech -- a future wide open for them to create. This inaugural, first-of-a-kind conference is geared to showing developers and designers how to navigate the opportunities rapidly developing at the intersection of technology and health.

Health:Refactored will feature experts who honed their skills in the trenches, designing and building products or services that are currently on the bleeding edge of health technology. Design masters from IDEO, Jawbone, Frog Design, and FitBit will be joined by Open Source experts and entrepreneurs from Microsoft, Castlight Health, Mashery, and Intel to share key principles and strategies, unique to designing and developing for health.

A small group of speakers -- health and tech entrepreneurs, hacktivists, medical experts --  provided their predictions on the transformation and future of  the health tech ecosystem. Specifically, each expert was asked "How do you see the health space transforming over the next 5 or 10 years as a result of technology?" Hospitals without walls, skin-embedded gadgets, patient-owned and controlled data, and app-driven dietary and exercise recommendations are some of what our experts expect to see in the years to come.

"Health:Refactored not only serves as an impetus for developers and designers to leverage their skills and creativity to build and create, but it also provides a portal into the future of health technology," said Indu Subaiya, Co-Chairman & CEO of Health 2.0.

Here are the predictions:
 

• "Technology will catalyze dramatic system-wide cost savings and efficiencies. Out of $500 billion spent annually in the U.S. on doctor visits, $125 billion translates into unnecessary costs since 25% of the visits are strictly informational. Technology will serve these patients the information they need without the physical appointment."  --Sean K. Mehra, Head of Product, HealthTap
• "In 10 years, human-centered data collection of medical records, observations, labs, etc., will go away in favor of body-worn health sensors that will be woven into fabrics, built-into our mobile phones, integrated into homes (e.g. toilets, sinks, etc.), and even embedded under our skin." -- Shahid Shah, HIT Expert/CEO, Netspective
• "The 'wall-less hospital' will meet the empowered patient. As sensors and devices increase their power and accuracy, doctors will be able to monitor and adjust treatment approaches in real-time." -- Jan Gurley, MD, Physician and App Designer, DocGurley.com
• "Food, physical activity and sleep recommendations will be personalized based on health risks, biomarkers, environmental factors, preferences and budget. They'll be prescribed by doctors and dietitians in the grocery store assisted by cutting-edge health technologies, and directly by apps." -- Jason Langheier, MD, MPH, CEO & Founder, Zipongo
• "Telemedicine will allow hospitals to extend care well beyond their four walls. Consumer diagnostic devices and wearables will empower patients to proactively monitor and manage their health and physicians can transition from passive managers of health to active, ever-present participants in patients' health." -- David Chao, Senior Product Manager, MuleSoft
• "In 5 years, when data is more portable and expectations are that data follows me and my care, rather than hide from my view....well, then things gets really interesting! Then we can really start getting deep, meaningful insights from all our shared data, and the pace of innovation in digital health will grow exponentially." -- Geoffrey Clapp, Co-Founder, Better
• "We will shift into a synchronous 'care stream' which values preventative care over treating symptoms." -- Mike Cuesta , Director of Design and Community, CareCloud

Register Now to Attend
Health:Refactored will take place May 13-14 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. All registered attendees will have access to two full days of in-depth sessions, keynotes, API workshops, debates, and parties. General registration is $999. Large groups can take up to 30% off the registration fee, and student and startup rates are also available. Registration is open at:www.healthrefactored.com.

About Health 2.0
Health 2.0, LLC is a world stage, testing ground, and community for the future of health technology. Since being founded in 2007, Health 2.0 has continuously promoted, showcased, and catalyzed health IT solutions and innovations through conferences, code-a-thons, prize competitions, media, and its Health 2.0 consulting group. For more information, visitwww.health2con.com.

Press Contact:
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SOURCE Health 2.0