Cheers!

This is High on Health, your weekly scoop of health news, deep insights, and cool takeaways – all without the chaos of JPM, CES, or WEF.

January's third week has been bustling with big-league conferences. I'm here to break down the health-focused bits from JPM in San Francisco, CES in Vegas, and WEF in Davos. Just health talk here, no politics or dull stuff.

Note: Whatever. I’m unsure what happened there, but everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Blessings or Covid super-spreading. It’s all about the good vibes. 😬

And no, I wasn't physically at these events – no invites this time, and honestly, I wasn't chasing the action. But CES next year? Count me in for that one. It's the standout event, plus it's Vegas!

In my world, the basement saga is nearing its end – it's almost dry, thanks to some speedy and efficient work. 💦 🌵 🤞

On a personal note, my running regimen is on track, despite some treadmill days due to the weather. The real highlight? I've hit a breakthrough with my longstanding lower back pain, a souvenir from my competitive sports days and a reminder of an aging body. It's been a rough start to the week, with slow mornings and painstaking stretches before I could even think about running. But I've finally found something that seems to work.

I'm not declaring victory just yet, but stay tuned. If this keeps up, I'll share my journey and solutions for back pain in an upcoming edition. And I'd love to hear your experiences and tips, too – let's swap stories and strategies for tackling those aches and pains. 🏃‍♂️🛠️🎲💡👨‍⚕️📝

Take care!

The Conference Round-Up: Key Insights from January's Top Conferences

J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPM), San Francisco

🤓 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, held annually in San Francisco, is a prominent event in the healthcare industry. It gathers global leaders, innovators, and investors to discuss healthcare trends, challenges, and opportunities. Known for major announcements and strategic discussions, it's a key platform for networking and insights into the future of healthcare, including biotech, pharmaceuticals, and digital health.

At this year’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference, many industry leaders discussed how they plan to use generative AI innovatively. All the payers and providers who presented at the conference mentioned AI as a prominent part of their strategy for 2024.

Some organizations reported deploying dozens of use cases of AI across their enterprise, many homegrown. Mayo Clinic and Cerebras Systems announced a new partnership to develop a foundation AI model that will use Mayo Clinic's various structured and unstructured data: The collaboration will develop models trained on genomic data of more than 100,000 patients who have entrusted Mayo Clinic scientists for the benefit of research.

Other healthcare providers like Option Care Health (with Palantir) and Innovaccer (“AI assistant that transcribes, analyzes, and summarizes conversations between providers and patients”) have invested in AI platforms to optimize operations. Despite this, many healthcare providers must grapple with foundational issues like data governance and AI strategy development.

Specialty care also shows strong growth and high demand as patients face barriers to seeing in-person specialists. Bridging the access gaps was a topic that came up quite a bit at the conference.

Amazon announced plans to collaborate with digital health companies to connect customers with virtual care benefits for managing diabetes and hypertension.

Omada Health will be the first virtual diabetes prevention, diabetes, and hypertension provider in Amazon's health conditions program. Amazon's move to branch out into chronic condition management via digital health partnerships generated a lot of buzz at the conference.

Obviously, without revealing any details, I have worked with clients on the above topics (genAI / AI-enabled reporting and workflow optimization, automatically generated clinical documentation, and addressing staff shortages in healthcare with AI-augmented tools, etc.). I’m wildly bullish on the potential and opportunities for AI in healthcare.

Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Las Vegas

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is a well-known global event showcasing the latest consumer electronics innovations, including healthcare technology. It's held annually in Las Vegas and draws thousands of tech enthusiasts worldwide. CES is a popular event that reveals cutting-edge technology and trends in various sectors, including digital health. In healthcare, CES highlights advancements in wearable technology, telemedicine, and AI-driven health solutions, making it an important event for tech and healthcare professionals looking to stay ahead.

When comparing the banner graphics of three conferences, it's easy to see who is the cool kid on the block. Just saying.

There are many articles, both online and offline, that list the best health tech products at CES this year. I went through a solid number of them and will highlight my favorites. I start with the actual CES Innovation Awards:

motionsleep

The Motion Pillow, now teamed with the Vital Ring, revolutionizes sleep for those who snore or struggle with breathing at night. It's smart enough to detect snoring and monitor oxygen levels. With seven dynamic airbags, it repositions the head and back to ease breathing and reduce snoring. Enhanced with more airbags, the oxygen-tracking Vital Ring, circadian rhythm lighting, and a sleek charging system, it not only boosts performance and ease of use but also brings a sophisticated edge to your bedtime routine.

AVEIR™ Dual Chamber (DR) Leadless Pacemaker System by Abbott

Abbott's AVEIR™ dual chamber leadless pacemaker is a groundbreaking innovation for treating slow heart rhythms. It's a game-changer at about one-tenth the size of traditional pacemakers. The atrial and ventricular components communicate using pioneering i2i™ technology, ensuring synchronized pacing. Remarkably, AVEIR pacemakers are designed for retrieval, adapting to changing therapy needs or future replacements. This marks a significant leap in cardiac care technology.

Here are my top 3 products:

Evie Ring by Movano

This year smart rings seem to be a thing. The Oura ring is getting some competition, with many options presented at CES. The Evie Ring stands out in health wearables, designed with women in mind. Unlike bulkier smartwatches, it features a flexible design to accommodate finger swelling. Packed with sensors and a flexible battery, it's engineered impressively. The companion app offers period tracking, mood logging, and AI-driven insights into menstrual health. Movano Health emphasizes an AI framework for personalized insights. Initially focused on user input, it aims to evolve into more automated AI insights. The ring, offering medical-grade sensor accuracy and FDA clearance in process, will initially support iOS with features like SpO2 monitoring.

BeamO by Withings

Withings' BeamO, reminiscent of a Star Trek gadget, is a 4-in-1 health monitor, not a first of its kind but possibly the best. It measures vital stats like temperature, SpO2, and heart rate, boasting an ECG and digital stethoscope. Awaiting FDA clearance, its anticipated arrival is generating excitement. With a reasonable price tag of $250, BeamO promises to be a game-changer in personal health monitoring.

GyroGlove by GyroGear

The GyroGlove, an innovative FDA Class-1-approved device, offers a new way to counter tremors for people with Parkinson's. It features a gyroscopic motor on the back, countering tremors to maintain stability. The glove, resembling a standard wrist brace, allows smoother movement and improved control over tasks like writing or holding objects. While not a cure for Parkinson's, it significantly enhances the quality of life by enabling everyday activities.

World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos

The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos is a high-profile gathering of global political, business, and society leaders. It addresses pressing world issues, including healthcare. WEF in Davos is significant for shaping global policies and partnerships, with healthcare being a crucial part of discussions on global well-being and innovation.

The World Economic Forum in Davos 2024 tackled several pivotal health and healthcare themes:

• Climate Change as a Health Crisis: Discussions emphasized the dire health consequences of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations. The focus was on creating resilient healthcare systems that can adapt to and mitigate these impacts.

• Digital Health Revolution: There was a significant emphasis on leveraging digital tools and AI to transform healthcare. This includes improving access to care, enhancing disease detection, and fostering drug discoveries.

• Gender Health Disparities: The forum addressed the critical gap in women's health, discussing ways to ensure equitable access to healthcare services and the importance of targeting research and development towards female-specific conditions.

• Obesity Epidemic: Strategies to combat the rising levels of obesity globally were discussed, including public health initiatives and changes in healthcare systems to better address this challenge.

• Mental Well-being of Youth: The mental health of children and teenagers, particularly with technology and social media, was a key concern. Strategies to ensure young people's safe and healthy use of digital platforms were explored.

• Longevity and Aging: Sessions focused on ensuring a healthy aging population, looking at organizational responsibilities and medical advancements.

• Public-Private Partnerships: The importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in advancing healthcare goals was highlighted, emphasizing innovative solutions to longstanding health challenges.

Absolutely a strong set of topics. Let’s hope that the discussion leads to real actions and impact!

Who of you has attended one of the above and wants to share your takeaways?

I would love to get your thoughts and comments!

Tardigrade

Bow to the toughest organism on Earth.

I recently fell in love with Tardigrades while practicing reading with our second grader. The books he likes to read are about dinosaurs, space, monsters, and a combination of those.

Tardigrades, those tiny but mighty "water bears" or "moss piglets", are truly out-of-this-world survivors. They made headlines in 2019 when thousands survived a lunar crash landing on the Israeli spacecraft Beresheet. These microscopic heroes can endure extreme conditions by entering a dormant 'tun' state, shrinking into tiny balls, and slashing their metabolism, a process called cryptobiosis. This incredible adaptation allows them to survive decades without water, even in space!

These eight-legged micro-animals are everywhere – from mountaintops to deep oceans, even surviving in outer space. They can pause their biological clock, enduring harsh environments in a dormant state for years, only to spring back to life with water. Despite their simplicity, they're equipped to resist intense temperatures and radiation, although prolonged high heat can be their Achilles' heel. It’s easy for anybody who knows me to notice the similarities: I can for a long time without drinking, but as soon as the temperature rises above 25°C (77°F), I immediately suffer.

Their resilience has scientists intrigued about cryptobiosis, potentially unlocking secrets to extend human life for space missions.

Tardigrades, these tiny terrestrial astronauts, are not just survivors – they're cosmic pioneers! 🚀🌌🔬🌍🌟🐻💧

This mantra echoes the daring spirit of Mae West, who embodied the idea of living fully and unabashedly. This saying is not about seeking thrills or indulgence but embracing life with vigor, purpose, and a sense of fulfillment. It's a call to action, urging us to step out of the shadows and into the arena of life.

Living your life to the fullest means different things to different people. For some, it's about achieving lofty goals or exploring the world, while for others, it's about cherishing small moments or pursuing passions. The key lies in understanding what makes you tick and pursuing it relentlessly.

Each of us has a unique path to tread. By actively engaging in our journey and not merely spectating, we ensure that we live a life rich in experiences and memories. This involves planning, yes, but more importantly, it involves action. Dreams and aspirations are only as good as our efforts to realize them.

In my quest, I resonate with the notion of leaving nothing in the tank. We're not guaranteed another round, so why hold back? Whether it's pushing boundaries, exploring new horizons, or savoring everyday joys, let's chase life with the fervor it deserves. After all, a life well-lived is the best testament to our existence.

Let's get after it! 🌟💫🚀🌍🔥

DISCLAIMER: None of this (such as text, graphics, images, and other materials) is medical or health advice. This newsletter is strictly for informational, educational, and entertaining purposes only. While I’m a medical doctor and a dentist by training, I’m not your doctor. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on high on health! Please be careful and do your research.