Another edition of the Rock Health Summit is in the books, bringing together innovators from technology, medicine, public health, and beyond to talk about the biggest healthcare issues of the day. The 2024 iteration packed many of healthcare’s hottest topics into one afternoon. From obesity and the youth mental health crisis, to supporting caregivers and the “food as medicine” movement, the event looked ahead at some of the forces poised to change how we think about healthcare in the years to come, and how digital health as a sector will play a critical role. While such a diverse array of topics might not seem compatible on the surface, it became clear by the end of the event that all of these industry flashpoints share a few common themes, and they all depend on health tech to make an impact.
Taking a comprehensive approach
Just glancing at the agenda, you could’ve been forgiven for thinking that certain sessions were devoted to pushing a very specific solution for a very specific problem – GLP-1s for weight loss, or food delivery for nutrition. Repeatedly, though, speakers emphasized that there are no silver bullets when it comes to healthcare, and that every core intervention needs to be accompanied by an array of supporting products and services.
Simply giving patients GLP-1s, for instance, won’t produce the desired outcome if the medication isn’t accompanied by regular visits with providers and lifestyle changes. Grocery delivery, similarly, helps fill a gap and is an important part of “food as medicine” programs, but it’s not likely to creating lasting change and positive long-term outcomes if not supported by a dietician. Aneil Batra of LUMEARYA, speaking on the panel about GLP-1s, described this as an “ecosystem approach.” It may be cliché to say that healthcare takes a village, but it remains true, even as individual companies or products might make it seem otherwise.
Bettering access is essential – and where digital health can excel
Few words were repeated more throughout the whole event than “access,” and for good reason. As Joanna Strober from Midi Health pointed out, digital health in general disproportionately benefits people who lack access to care, and the industry should lean into that. Whether it be delivering youth mental health services via text message to meet patients where they are, or using technology to help family caregivers get the help they need, digital tools can be a lifeline for populations who can’t access in-person care or need additional support to manage care for them or a loved one.
So much of improving healthcare revolves around shifting to a proactive model, where services are offered before the need is acute, but that’s not possible if patients can’t or don’t know how to access care. It’s why solutions like what panelist Josh Golomb has developed at Hazel Health, which partners with schools to provide students and families access to telehealth, are so essential. By creating a front door for care that the population interacts with every day, like a school, we can facilitate more proactive services and reduce strain on the system in the long run. This type of approach, which puts increased access at the center, is critical to improving equity, and it’s a place where technology can be particularly impactful.
Aligning the right solutions with reimbursement
The event’s final session challenged panelists to look ahead at what healthcare innovation might look like in 2040 if the industry is successful in the next 15 years, and if it’s not. Sara Veazey of Providence outlined a worse-case scenario as one where we’re having the same conversations that we’re having today because we haven’t progressed. Avoiding that fate, she said, starts with committing to paying for better. In other words, the system is not currently set up to reimburse the types of services that could have positive, long-term impacts, and that needs to change.
Reimbursement is another word that came up throughout the event, because figuring out how to align the types of innovative, preventive care that we know patients need with business models that actually pay for that type of care continues to be a sticking point. Nearly every preventive solution discussed during the event – proactively treating youth mental health distress to avoid a crisis, or supporting caregivers before they burnout – doesn’t fit in cleanly with current financial models. Payers and investors want to see scale, but scale isn’t always what’s best for the end-user. While creating solutions that solve for a healthcare problem is an essential step, it’s only part of the battle. For now, the companies that succeed in today’s environment will be the ones who don’t just address a need, but do so in a way that is innovative, scalable, and profitable within the confines of how healthcare is paid for.
The summit revealed some of the common struggles health tech companies deal with, regardless of their therapeutic area or solution category, but it also illuminated all of the positive work that’s already taking place and is poised to continue in the future. If you’re a healthcare innovator looking learn more about V2’s services, reach out: [email protected]