Is too much...well, too much?
I love digital health.
Both are no secret. And there's certainly a energy and vitality to this Austin spectacle that makes it a great home to entertainment, technology and films.
One of the technology stars this year is digital health. The momentum for digital health seems to be growing and my unscientific comparison to last year's activity seems to indicate that it's increasing across several areas. You can listen to, or even bump into the likes of Sonny Vu, the CEO of Misfit Wearables and Daniel Kraft, MD who leads FutureMed at Singularity University. And you can have a seat at the higi display have have your health evaluated and consolidated into a single number. (Yep, it's like your Kred or Klout score for health.) Or, even have the camera shift from the sights and sounds of the convention to the plates of food that become coded by dosIQ in their digital health challenge to "quantify food". So, I found it a refreshing change to see so many interesting and engaged people talking health and technology. That is, after I fought the crowds and lines...
Will the voice of digital health be heard?
And while it was great to see Daniel, our talks were scheduled at the same time, and clearly, it was my loss. A summary of his talk can be found here. But it got me to thinking about this importance of digital health and the how it fits--or squeezes--into SXSW.
I don't think that anyone would argue that Austin is a great venu for the meeting. The vibe, the weather and the location are all terrific. But has SXSW gotten too good? And, more importantly, has digital health grown in importance to where it no longer can be the stepchild to other technological innovations and novelties? Has the success of SXSW crowded out the potential for a real and well-structured agenda that serves this topic and the attendees?
So, where is the intellectual epicenter of digital health?
I'm not going to name names, and there are several meetings that come to mind. Some are very consumer focused--driven by technology that is only tangential to health, while others are more focused on the health and more clinical aspects. So, where should digital health live? Or, perhaps the question should be more about SXSW and its role as a focal point for a story that is poised to "change everything".
Let me know! And let the debate begin!
After the showbiz of SXSW settles down, I would love to hear what you think. I'll keep track of the comments and follow up with some observations. But now I have to run back and sit in the dunk tank and see what kind of pitchers are out there. I wonder, is my device water proof?
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