Friday on MedHeads, Neil Versel, Chris Seper and I discussed Salesforce’s new foray into healthcare – as well as the company’s forthcoming Dreamforce conference next week in San Francisco. We also touched on the news that IBM Watson Health has announced its own Health Cloud this week and its integration with Apple.
Watch the broadcast above, but also review these five important stories we covered this week.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
1. Airstrip website crashes after Apple Watch exposure
Immediately following Apple CEO Tim Cook’s presentation to kick off a special event in San Francisco launching new Apple products, mobile healthcare developer AirStrip Technologies demonstrated a new Apple Watch app accompanying its Sense4Baby fetal monitor. The buzz was overwhelming.
“Our website was crashed within seconds,” AirStrip CEO Alan Portela told MedCity News on Wednesday. “I have to confess, I didn’t know we were going to be right after Tim Cook.”
2. Diagnostics could be one of the smartest places for a startup to be right now in healthcare
California-based RNA sequencing company, Cofactor Genomics, is a good example of why it might be the right decision for a company to steer away from big pharma and maybe focus more on consumer diagnostics. Theranos is another company taking full advantage of this angle now.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
3. IBM Watson Health sets up HQ in Cambridge, integrates with Apple
IBM Watson came of age in healthcare just five months ago at HIMSS15 with two acquisitions and the creation of Watson Health. Now, Watson Health has a home and a couple of new offerings that up the competition level in a rapidly evolving market.
4. The Google contact lens will be in humans next year, Novartis chief says
The contact lens Google and Novartis are developing together will hit human eyes next year, according to a report this weekend.
It won’t be tested on diabetics – which has been the sexiest potential application. Instead, the human trials will focus on the treatment of presbyopia, which is essentially far-sightedness caused by old age.
5. Pathway Genomics launches first liquid biopsy test for cancer
The noninvasive CancerIntercept test can screen for multiple cancers – breast, ovarian, lung, prostate and others – from a single blood sample.
