50+ Innovation Leaders (presented by AARP)
AARP, in collaboration with MedCity News, presents the inaugural 50+ Innovation Leaders — entrepreneurs, companies and ideas that are innovating healthcare services and products for the critical 50+ market.
FEATURE PRESENTED BY
Last fall, MedCity News and AARP put out a call for nominees for its inaugural list of 50+ Innovation Leaders, looking to find the leading innovators of services and products designed to serve the booming 50+ consumer health market. The response was overwhelming, with more than 150 individuals and companies earning nominations for their dedication to creating new devices and services for this thriving segment of the population.
Today, after tallying more than 5,000 MedCity News readers’ votes, we’re proud to announce our esteemed pool of winners, which displays a true commitment to developing cutting-edge services and products to help the aging population in today’s digital world.
AARP has long been committed to serving and assisting aging Americans. With AARP’s mission to enhance the quality of life for the aging population, we are pleased to join MedCity News in showcasing entrepreneurs who are driving change and improvements in the healthcare industry for the more than 100 million Americans aged 50 and older. We are excited for all the great things happening in the industry, and we congratulate the remarkable winners who have been recognized by their peers.
A common goal of many of the 50+ Innovation Leaders was modernizing patient care to meet the needs of today’s mobile world. Many our winners have developed life-changing ways of bringing healthcare out of the traditional doctor’s office and into the digital world of online and cloud-based portals, wearable technology and apps.
Other winners showed exceptional creativity and outside-the-box thinking in the realm of alternative therapies, smart wearables and product design. Ongoing medical treatment is a reality of day-to-day life for many aging Americans, and these innovators have helped to ease the burden and take the stigma out of that necessary care.
Our 50+ Innovation Leaders truly embody the entrepreneurial spirit and have gone above and beyond in the field of improving healthcare services for those aged 50 and older. If these innovators are any indication, the vital 50+ healthcare industry stands to see many great advances in the future.
AARP and MedCity News applaud the creativity and innovation of all our winners and nominees for their contributions to improving the quality of life of the more than 100 million aging patients in America. We encourage entrepreneurs everywhere to continue to drive change in the healthcare industry and create much-needed products that make a real difference in people’s lives.
ALIVECOR, INC.
Who is your healthcare hero?
Sir Alexander Fleming; Mayo Clinic for excellence
What inspired you to work with the aging population?
The developed world is aging from Japan to Europe to the United States. Diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer are consuming more and more resources. We need to develop solutions for these problems that are practical and affordable for the aging population.
Company Description
AliveCor is a pioneer in FDA-cleared but consumer focused personal medical devices with the Kardia ECG. The average age of their customers is 61 years old, and the largest decade served is 60-70 as their customers are heart patients. Led by Chief Medical Officer and Founder Dr. Dave Albert, AliveCor provides remote diagnosis for physicians and peace of mind for patients — all for $99.
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ABL DENIM
Who is your healthcare hero?
The more than 65 million paid and unpaid caregivers in the U.S.
What inspired you to work with the aging population?
My step-sister, a baby-boomer, became a wheelchair user after several failed back surgeries. To find fashionable clothing that was easier to dress in and non-harmful was impossible; there were only geriatric styles available. She inspired me to use my background as a designer in the fashion industry and lifelong history with family members with disabilities to start a business making clothing that offers in-style functional clothing, enabling greater independence, boosting self esteem, and making the work of dressing easier for caregivers each and every day.
Company Description
ABL Denim is the next big thing in inclusive design. Recognized by the Wall Street Journal and its founder Stephanie Alves invited to the White House as a leader in its first “Design for All” event, ABL Denim makes clothing with technology for the millions in the aging and disability communities and those suffering with various anxiety disorders. ABL Denim improves the quality of life for its customers each and every day.
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