Feb. 16 Media Roundup

It was another news-packed week in the world of tech, pharma, life sciences and mHealth. If you fell behind, catch up on all of last week's highlights from our social media channels. 

mHealth and Tech

• There are plenty of apps and tools to find a doctor, but how about finding the best doctor? Amino Health has created a tool to connect patients with local doctors based on rankings and other information.
• Gyenno released a smart spoon and cup made for Parkinson’s patients. The dishes are wired to counteract Parkinson’s tremors and let patients eat without embarrassment.
• California-based HealthLoop helps doctors check in with their patients with automated empathetic emails. Patients appreciate the daily service and the company believes it will lower patient readmission rates.
• One day we may all have 3D “digital twins” based on our EHR data. French company Dassault Systèmes is building tailored models that allows them to do research using computer modeling, potentially changing how medicine works.
• Millennials’ impact on healthcare made the news last week. Findings show a generation more interested in HSA plans, preventive measures, price monitoring and telemedicine.
• Should healthcare follow the tech model to kickstart innovation? Some believe that the industry would benefit from the nimble, adaptable and innovative culture of tech companies.
• Skin care meets wearable tech in L’Oréal’s sticker that measures sun exposure and sends a smartphone alert if sunscreen is needed. The “second skin electronic wearable” is due to be released later this year.
• 23andMe is going international to broaden the user base and its research cohort while expanding its genomic diversity.
• In recent mHealth news, the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is using Fitbit data to better understand how sleep and activity levels affect diabetics.

Big Data

• The healthcare industry sees the potential of big data and is hiring! Right now, the biggest setback is finding the talent to work with the large datasets.
• Is using big data enough or are more substantial cultural changes needed to maximize its value? Many of the big data challenges companies face are related to people, not technology.
• Companies are beginning to collect employee health data to drive down healthcare costs. Future initiatives along these lines may include information about the average anxiety levels, antidepressant use and body mass index of employees.
• Did you know big data is already making an impact and fighting disease? Right now it’s contributing to the knowledge and treatment of ebola, sepsis and polio.  

Pharma and Life Sciences

• A new ARCO video talks about the complex issues of real world data and how drugs perform after the clinical trial process.
• In a creative approach to battling cancer, New Mexico researchers are experimenting with inserting genetically modified cancer cells into the bloodstream to fight cancerous tumors.
• Augmented reality has set its sights on the biopharma industry with industry-tailored software that lets smart glass wearers see through others eyes, allowing real-time oversight.
• New study findings show carbon material graphene could be used for flexible brain implants. The material show promise of biocompatibility with the soft tissue of human brains.
• The properties of elastin — the molecule that allows our skin to twist, blood vessels to expand and lungs to swell and relax — have been uncovered. 
• Johnson & Johnson and Viacyte are partnering in an effort to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes using a stem-cell based treatment.

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