Top Healthcare Technology
How Forward tries to resolve healthcare problems under US capitalism
Technology in healthcare sucks
Having lived in the US, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, my observation is that Taiwan’s healthcare system stands out as exceptional compared to the rest of the world. However, I couldn’t help but notice numerous inefficiencies during my time there. A close foreign friend of mine experienced a severe bike accident in Taiwan, resulting in a broken wrist, elbows, facial injuries, and damage to her eyes. As I took on the role of caregiver and translator, it became evident that there is ample room for improvement in terms of communication, technology, and coordination between nurses, eye and bone surgeons, family members, and the financial system. The nurses’ report screens, for instance, appeared outdated, resembling technology from the previous century.
Quoted from the founder and CEO of Forward Health, “Oh my god, I’ve seen your future.” These were the exact words I felt when I was working with Jubo, an AI healthcare startup. “Nurses spend most of their time measuring patients’ vital signs, taking notes on paper, and entering data into laptops every day. Why couldn’t we do better?” That’s why Jubo specializes in creating IoT devices to measure and upload patients’ information into the cloud without relying on so much paperwork.
The funny thing is that most of this technology isn’t even that new. We already have touchscreens at McDonald’s and can view the entire menu on Uber Eats. So why is digitalization so slow in healthcare that we can’t even view a menu of our own health information?
The frightening tale of the US healthcare system
Allow me to share a story about one of my classmates navigating the complex US healthcare system. He suffered an ankle injury and sought care at One Medical, a membership-based primary care practice partnered with our school’s insurance. However, he was redirected to a clinic in Burlingame, which was quite far from our location. After a lengthy Uber ride and waiting period, we finally met with a bone doctor who provided some instructions and directed us to yet another distant center to pick up foot boots. When we reached the center, we endured an additional hour of waiting just to collect the boots. In the end, our encounter with the doctor lasted a mere 10 minutes, while we spent a total of 3 hours on transportation and waiting. The financial aspect of the experience was equally daunting. Despite having insurance, the co-pay system imposed by US companies meant that both my classmate and the insurance company had to share the bill. The foot boots cost around $350, with the insurance covering $150, leaving my classmate responsible for an additional $200.
While Taiwan’s healthcare system may not be as technologically advanced or efficient as we hope, the presence of universal healthcare ensures that a doctor’s appointment costs a mere $5.
Although I’m not an expert in US healthcare, I know that for the longest time, the US healthcare system only had Medicare, a government-funded healthcare program established in 1965. It provides health insurance coverage only for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities or specific medical conditions. This is why Obama put so much effort into creating Obamacare, an affordable health insurance option for a broader population. While we may see more incremental success in the US healthcare system in the future, for now, “socialized medicine” (aka government-run healthcare) seems to be a much more effective operating system for healthcare. However, I was surprised by how companies in Silicon Valley are attempting to solve US healthcare problems with their boldest imaginations and the latest technology.
The Latest Healthcare Technology
Forward is a healthcare startup based in San Francisco, whose mission is to provide the world’s best healthcare for one billion people, for free.
They provide a full biometric assessment upon the first visit to identify health risks with red light spectroscopy to see how one’s blood is actually flowing. Its business model eschews insurance providers altogether and instead works based on a single flat membership fee without the co-pay problem. Forward’s membership payment system is designed to reshape the incentive structure in healthcare. Unlike insurance companies that are reluctant to pay unless there are issues, Forward has a built-in system that is prepared to support its users proactively. This means users have access to reliable assistance and resources whenever they need them.
That’s also why Forward primarily focuses on preventive technology, recognizing that in the US, we are often hesitant to spend significant amounts of money on doctor visits unless we are seriously ill.
With their service, you can easily schedule same-day appointments without any waiting time. They also offer a smart screen that displays your health analysis, encompassing vital signs and body scans to gather essential information about your well-being. Additionally, their ‘Forward at Home’ program provides patients with specialized sensors for remote care, enabling them to receive healthcare services from the comfort of their own homes. I’m very excited by the smart devices for remote care because when my ex-roommate had a bad stomachache and talked to her doctor on the screen, the doctor only talk to her, more like a therapist than a doctor.
BUT BUT BUT, the membership fee in Forward is still too pricey for me at this moment: $149/month. Yet, their business plan is to keep expanding and lowering the costs while adding more services.
“I want to keep going until Forward is as close to zero fucking dollars as possible,” — Aoun, the founder of Forward.
Drawing from my startup experience and understanding of Silicon Valley, I’ve come to realize that many products can be excessively hyped, similar to the case of Bad Blood, the misleading blood test technology that promises in-depth analysis with just a drop. Regardless, evaluating with caution, I’m still very excited about the products from Forward and see the potential for the future of healthcare.
Sources
Virtual Tour of Forward [YouTube]
“Health Moves Forward” [CEO Blog Post]
Series D Funding Funds Doctor-led Programs [TechCrunch]
Forward — What Quality Healthcare Should Look Like [Mashable]
Primary Care Start-ups Vying for 170B Market [Business Insider]
“The Pivot to Virtual Care” [Chief Medical Officer @ Stanford Medicine]
The Meaning of Trans Broken-Arm Syndrome [USA Today]
This is the third post from my 30-day writing challenges. I was inspired by Tung Nguyen, a friend who is a famous blogger. He overcame the fear of creation through mass-producing blogs and eventually found his own niche audiences.