Last week I was given the opportunity to write a post for the Make magazine blog. I entitled it “Hacking Health” and described what I think is an enormous opportunity for the open source community to effect real, lasting and positive change in the world by rallying around solving some of the global health care issues we all face.
I received a great response – both critical and encouraging. Included in some of the comments I received were areas of focus that I would have never thought of – clinical trials being a great example. I now want to take the next step.
I have started a personal project regarding a diabetic low-blood-sugar monitoring device. I will detail the requirements, spec and usage scenarios on this blog and will also record my progress. I’m hoping it will serve as a good prototype of the types of efforts I’d love to see more of.
I am also setting up a wiki where I will put all the materials, source code, etc that I gather during the process. The hope is it can become a general repository for anyone who wants to start a new project or participate in one already established. More on this initiative next week.
For now, stay tuned for more details on the device/application I will be building. I will be counting on your feedback for guidance!
One Comment
Hello Peter,
Great start and really like the theme “hacking health” as ultimately, this is what you are proposing within the context of a concept that supports bottom’s-up tech development in a “by the people, for the people” model.
For too long, healthcare has been stymied; stuck in a seemingly endless political morass – just look at what is now occurring in DC. Sure, plenty of $$$ will be thrown at the problem and the big boys like GE with their “Healthlymagination” slogan/messaging hope to capitalize on that federal largess.
But maybe a new model is needed, one not so dependent on the big companies with big solutions, rather smaller companies and individuals adopting “open source” models of development to create solutions that are relevant, simple and ubiquitous.
A grand vision indeed, but do we have a choice as healthcare costs continue to spiral ever upward and we are looking at a massive population of baby boomers heading into retirement and as we all well-know, more healthcare complications as their bodies slowly breakdown in anticipation of returning to earth?
Traditional models have not/are not working. Indeed, it is time to hack health.
-John