Government Technology issues its Top 25 list every year to recognize the “hardest-working and most innovative individuals in the public sector.” Two people working to improve public health and healthcare are on this year’s list: Ted Smith won a spot on the list for bringing a citywide pilot project for Asthmapolis to Louisville, Kentucky, and Kevin McGinnis was recognized for his work with FirstNet, a group setting the foundation for a national network for first responders.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh were recognized for launching #waywire and a five-year, $350 million revitalization initiative, respectively. The list also includes chief information officers from seven states and three cities.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Government Technology talked to Smith and McGinnis about the projects they are working on to improve healthcare and health information management.
Using technology to help first responders
McGinnis is the CEO of North East Mobile Health Services, Maine’s largest ambulance service. He is also on the First Responder Network Authority board. The board is an independent authority within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. As part of The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Congress gave FirstNet the responsibility to build, deploy and operate the network. The board includes public safety officials and commercial wireless industry executives, and has a goal of finishing the network in 10 to 15 years.
“When they talk about making decisions on spending $10 million in the next couple of months to build a component of the system and hiring dozens or hundreds of people, it’s breathtaking from a public safety background, but it’s what you have to do,” Kevin McGinnis said.
McGinnis looks at state and local projects well under way as further evidence that the national network will be completed. Local jurisdictions already developing public safety systems will have made mistakes and corrected them, he said. “When people see the systems in operation, other systems are going to be quicker to build.”
Working with a healthcare startup to gather public health data
Smith is the director of economic development and innovation in Louisville. He worked with the founders of Asthmapolis to find funding from several sources to launch the project. He also worked with doctors in the metro area to get them to promote the project to patients and with pharmacists to make the sensors available at local pharmacies. The goal is to get 2,000 sensors in use around the city.
“There’s a big difference between governments that tinker and governments that are truly evolving, and I’d like to believe we’re in the latter category,” Ted Smith said.
Look for more from Louisville on a digital urban planning effort that seeks to marry physical urban planning with virtual urban planning. According to Smith, officials should focus more attention on the digital presence of their physical assets. “Imagine you were blind other than what you could see through your smartphone. How much of my city could you see?” Smith asked. At this point, his answer is “not enough.”
Disclaimer: I worked with Ted Smith at a healthcare startup several years ago.
