Aetna Foundation President Garth Graham, M.D., views mHealth technology as a "powerful equalizer to spark change," especially because it has the potential to bring care to more people in more places.
However, Graham tells mHealth Intelligence that the industry shouldn't deploy technology for technology's sake. He says his organization isn't focused on tools but the impact on lives.
The foundation is launching two fellowship programs to drive mHealth innovation, one at Yale University and one at Massachusetts General Hospital.
"From an innovation perspective, the Aetna Foundation has always been focused on the people who can be potentially impacted by the technology rather than just the technology. Technology is just one tool, but ultimately we want to transforms lives when it comes to health and healthcare," says Graham, former deputy at the Health and Human Services Department.
Supporting technology innovation is a growing trend among insurers as they view mHealth and IT as ways to boost care while driving down costs. As FierceHealthPayer reported earlier this month, Anthem recently debuted a new "innovation studio" to discover new ways to enhance the healthcare experience, working with the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The Aetna Foundation is aiming to build preventive health tools for people's day-to-day activities, Graham says in the article. And while some might have lingering negative perceptions about mobile health's integration in a clinical setting, the best way to overcome such hesitation is through innovative programs, he adds.
For more information:
- read the mHealth Intelligence article
Related Articles:
Anthem debuts 'innovation studio' in Atlanta
AHIP: Case studies show insurers breaking ground in behavioral health coverage
3 ways digital tools can transform payer business practices
Andrey Ostrovsky: Silicon Valley culture of unrealistic expectations has created a unicorn mentality in mHealth
UPMC invests in Vivfy for remote care; Healthways Inc., Health eVillages partner to bring healthcare to underserved areas