Health care sector has witnessed rapid advancements with the emergence of wearable devices and apps to monitor health data. Digital programs have replaced traditional health plans to solve problems like early detection of diabetes, online doctor appointment booking and inducing healthy lifestyles using games. A large number of startups have come up in countries like Israel and Germany working to improve health care services. Startups foster a sense of community among entrepreneurs and opportunity to exchange ideas across domains. A lot of factors play an important role while developing startup culture and promoting an innovative environment in a country.
Countries like Israel and Germany have been booming with startups in different sectors in the recent years. A few startups getting lucky to become a role model for others and people follow the footsteps of successful entrepreneurs and develop innovative solutions. Creating places and forums for the like-minded people talk, exchange ideas and work in collaboration with each other will provide much-needed support and encouragement to the new players in the market.
Numerous parameters govern the innovative environment in a country. First one is the social habit of the people having an insatiable thrust of asking questions and the principles which are at work in some technology. The government should encourage people to ask questions, engage in collaborative projects and develop better solutions. It should create national programs on different diseases covering aspects such as prevention, care, rehabilitation. Once the program has been put in place, researchers and other stakeholders should be called upon to develop innovative solutions to treat that disease.
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Germany has a highly subjective culture of dealing with failed startups. It is highly difficult to make it big once you have failed. So, it becomes utmost importance to put in place a mindset where success stories do not paint a rosy picture and keep the harsh realities in mind.
One way to start developing a highly efficient health care system is to emulate systems being used in other countries. It is highly impossible to revolutionize health care sector at once. But, taking small steps at a time can lead to better development of eHealth ecosystem. Another way is to collaborate with academia to fund their research projects, provide guidance on starting a company and teaching them the market dynamics.
Health care innovation is a solution to many problems like rising health care costs and detection of chronic diseases. It is a 3 Trillion USD* market approaching 20% of the GDP in the US alone. Entrepreneurs around the globe are burning the midnight oil to fund this next wave of transformative digital health companies that provide quality health care. The government should lay down mechanisms to provide environment and opportunities for the startups to contribute to health care sector.
| Hottest Startup Hubs | Developing startup culture |
|---|---|
| Germany, Isreal, United States | Collaboration with academia, forum for like-minded people to exchange ideas, shift in cultural mindset of fear of failing |
Introduction: Dr. Stefan Becker, University Hospital Essen https://www.uk-essen.de/en/
Moderation: Wolf-Thomas Nußbruch
Speakers: Thomas Kufen, Mayor City of Essen https://www.essen.de/rathaus/oberbuergermeister/Oberbuergermeister.en.html
Jared Sebhatu, Program Director, German Accelerator Life Sciences, Germany http://germanaccelerator.com/life-sciences/
Prof. TalyaMiron-shatz, Ono Academic College, Israel http://www.ono.ac.il/en/
Prof. Dr. Andreas Kribben, University Hospital Essen, Germany https://www.uk-essen.de/en/
Prof. Dr. ArnonAfek, Medical Deputy Director General, Ministry of Health, State of Israel http://www.health.gov.il/English/About/phonebook/Pages/AfekA.aspx
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8khCh4pkIYM&index=9&list=PL98iSagl_rnIwKONL-dQmj9Y1mOGAjvW8
Upload Date: 27th November 2016
Video code: 16R201
*Source: https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/15/the-next-wave-of-transformative-digital-health/
Image credit: www.istockphoto.com
