Prior to the 5th-annual Connected Health Summit, hosted by Parks Associates, Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi, Director of Markets, Lifestyle Medicine, Blue Shield of California sat down with the firm's analyst team to discuss new innovations in the connected health market.

Angie will participate on the Selling Connected Health: Channel Strategies panel on Wednesday, August 29, at 1:15 PM. Panelists who will join her on this session include:

• Christopher Bui, MD, MBA, Executive Medical Director, Humana, Inc.
• Andy Maloy, VP of Connected Health and VP of Business Development, Integron

What’s new in 2018 that keeps you upbeat/optimistic about the connected health market?

There is more and more personalization in the digital health experiences – give customer more of what they are specifically looking for. Also many more of the care options are being in the form of digital therapeutics. We are doing this with the lifestyle medicine products that we offer and it gives the ability for customers to participate on their own terms.

What’s the most effective strategy/approach you have seen that engages consumers for health & wellness behavioral changes?

It seems that when you can engage a customer by meeting them where they already are, you can be more successful. For example, offering programs that utilize apps or technology that are already in the marketplace and being used by the population at large.

What do you anticipate to happen in 2018 that would have the biggest impact on the connected health market?

Our ability to remotely engage customers means that they don’t need to come to the hospital or clinic. They can get the answers they need to administer self-care or guided care telephonically and digitally. If used properly, this can dramatically improve user experience as well as decrease cost of health care.

How is AI in health helping to improve the care experience?

Similar to digital therapeutics, AI has the potential to improve the user experience by addressing needs real time. This innovation can also be instrumental in reducing the cost of health care.

How will innovations in connectivity, such as the emergence of 5G, impact the health market? 

Any kind of innovation in technology can help to improve the user experience by diminishing wait time for customers. However, once this technology is introduced, consumers begin to expect it. This means that the health care industry has to keep up – something it hasn’t always done effectively.

For more information on Connected Health Summit, visit: www.connectedhealthsummit.com.