The Health Pulse: Follow the Money to Predict the Future of Health Care

Jessica DaMassa is the Executive Producer and Host of video series, What’s the Future, Health?, where she interviews key stakeholders in health tech to uncover unique perspectives on where the industry is headed. On this episode of The Health Pulse, Jessica briefly switches from her usual role as interviewer to share her observations on the trends to watch right now in health care. She shares with Greg several clues on the future based on the unprecedented funding pouring into the health tech space since the early months of the pandemic. Start ups focused on improving analysis of data from electronic health records (EHRs), particularly those focused on gleaning predictive value from EHR data, are hot. Jessica also identified trends around funding for later-stage start ups, which indicates these companies are gaining traction, and an expansion in private equity money in the health tech space. So, where is all this new funding going? Jessica identified three key focus areas – mental health; technology that helps navigate patients into and through the health care system (also know as digital front doors); and AI implementation specifically in the areas of clinical trials and automation of health care administration. Greg and Jessica also discuss key considerations around identifying and controlling for bias in AI. Looking ahead to delivery of care, Jessica sees the home as a place of care will be a key pandemic trend that is here to stay. Her advice for start ups? Make sure you understand the payment model! 

All presentations represent the opinions of the presenter and do not represent the position or the opinion of SAS.