LEADERSHIP
30 environment is becoming more widespread . “ They can accompany a doctor on a ward round taking digital notes and readings – if it ’ s not an actual robot it ’ s a tablet ,” confirms Dr Khemka . “ We ’ re also seeing robotics in surgery with the rise of the Da Vinci operating machine . Especially used in radical prostatectomy where it delivers much better outcomes than the human hand as it ’ s more specific in avoiding the nerves and blood vessels .” Dr Khemka believes the cultural acceptability of virtual healthcare services will take time and is not helped by the “ cowboys ” in the marketplace . “ A lot of tech companies are using the Tinder / Uber approach for doctors targeting a patient with symptoms looking for advice . It ’ s a dating platform between doctor and patient which I believe is completely the wrong model because its episodic nature lacks continuity and trust . What we ’ re doing with vHealth is emulating the 1950s when your doctor was your friend and knew your family history . We ’ re trying to bring that doctor back into the family using modern tech to establish that link into people ’ s homes .” The doctor predicts data , and the ability to use it in a meaningful way is going to be what drives the winners of the business environment of healthcare . “ The traditional
“ A lot of tech companies are using the Tinder / Uber approach for doctors targeting a patient with symptoms looking for advice . It ’ s a dating platform between doctor and patient which I believe is completely the wrong model because its episodic nature lacks continuity and trust ”
— Dr Sneh Khemka President International Population Health Solutions , Aetna International
AUGUST 2018