Future of Health is Personal

Buzzing.

That was the feeling of Boston’s PULSE@Check Digital Health Meetup early last week. Over two dozen health start-ups packed into the historic Landmark Center in Boston’s trendy Fenway neighborhood to share their passion projects.

Originally built in 1929 for Sears, Roebuck and Company, Landmark Center perfectly captured the essence of the evening – the skeleton of a former brick-and-mortar retailer repurposed as a hive for the new digital health economy. It’s a transformation in more than just facades.

Jostling through the crowd, one instantly realized the future of health tech will be personal. Think it can’t get any more personal than your doctor prodding you with cold metal while you wear a split-tail nightie? You’re wrong. Get ready for hyper-personal healthcare. The companies on review at PULSE@ are all angling to provide a range of custom services: clinical services via augmented and virtual reality, remote monitoring, computerized concierge doctors, on-demand medical transport, connecting with your devices to provide health information, and streamlined hospital workflows. All of these technologies are hoping the promise of universal computing and personalized data herald a new era of care for patients when, where, and how patients prefer.

It’s a grand vision, and the energetic atmosphere gave a feeling of industrial vigor, but it belies the challenges faced by companies looking to stand apart from their peers. Privacy, latency, accessibility, and scalability are all business hurdles that will impact brand image. As the crest of the hyper-personal health wave looms, successful brands will be those who can share unique stories, carefully tailored for specific audiences.

Personal medicine, meet personal storytelling. Let’s get to work.