Empowering Individuals to Control Their Health Status: Improving the Efficiency of the Healthcare System at all Levels

The explosive increase in knowledge of biology and medicine at the mechanistic level has not been accompanied by an increase in the efficiency of medical care. Indeed, innovations seem to increase medical costs rather than the opposite. The uncertainties associated with drug discovery and development, including clinical trials and regulatory issues, all combine to make biopharmaceutical efforts a risky business. Despite the high cost of drugs and medical devices, the major cost of healthcare is associated with “ care” itself. Payments are tied to procedures and treatment protocols, and the major healthcare plans support and perpetuate that system. My colleagues and I believe that empowering individuals to manage their health through specific diagnostic and software protocols, which organize health information from multiple sources, can catalyze change in the biomedical industry at all levels. We will present two Synergenics companies: Numera and ReLIA. Both companies aim to empower individuals to control their health, through prevention and effective monitoring, while encouraging more effective interactions with their physicians and health care providers.