The path to digital health nirvana is paved with data

Digital health is turning into one of those catch-all terms that people use to describe everything from electronic medical records to smartphone apps to wearable devices.  While I’m happy that the world is starting to pay attention, I’ve noticed a worrying trend.  We have a multitude of devices creating tremendous amounts of patient data, but very few tools/devices that make intelligent use of that data.   In another way, it’s like we have more and more gadgets to tell us we are unhealthy without giving using any meaningful advice on how to become healthier.  This intelligent use of data is exactly the topic of my latest piece for the Journal of mHealth.  In it, I talk about these disparate sources of patient data and how using this data effectively can create substantial value for patients and healthcare stakeholders.  We’ll see what the future holds, but betting is not on devices, but the actioning of data that changes the healthcare landscape.     BILL SIMPSON B.SC., Ph.D DIR. DATA SCIENCE Bill has an extensive background in psychology, mental health and clinical data analytics. He graduated with a Ph.D in Neuroscience from McMaster University in 2015. He has managed data collection and analysis for industry sponsored clinical trials and large international cohort studies. He has 12 scientific publications covering topics ranging from the psychometric properties of rating scales to the pharmacological treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. At MEMOTEXT, Bill develops new data analytic strategies and is responsible for integrating new scientific advances into the MEMOTEXT system.