Annual Business of Health Care Conference, a one-day conference organized by fellows of  a dual degree program (MBA/MPH) of Haas Business School deserves attention as it has attracted entrepreneurs, health care practitioners, industry professionals and investors.

Today health care faces great challenges costs, demographics, adoption of new tratement types, etc. , but mainly reducing the burden chronic illnesses, and foster advances in health care delivery.  Mike Buck, president of Abbott Ventures Inc., has guided us through the transformations of a large Abbott company that had created venture division to invest in research and development companies.

Among the most impressive panels were “Health and Wellness-Mobile and Web-Based Technology” with

• Ron Gutman (HealthTap): Healthtap, is a virtual waiting room for an answer from 10,000 U.S. licensed physicians. This is not only convenient, but reduces thousands of unnecessary visits and costs. A great service with a public health impact.
• Colleen Yoo (Keas): Keas is a health startup, a healthy lifestyle game for companies. Some organizations already realized the the connection between employee challenges/work productivity and work related stress and work/life imbalance. A well designed wellness program has its rewards for both parties in a long run just by maintaining healthy employees.

I instantly recalled of  GBC’s HEALTH@WORK Employee Education Program  to raise awareness among employees,  on HIV/AIDS,TB and other preventable diseases.

• Karan Singh (Ginger.io) a creation that came out of MIT media lab that monitors lifestyle of mobile application user through his phone, data is formed by statistical (bayesian) modeling and machine learning analysis.
• Nabil Aidoud (FiVi.com) a website tracking your physical activity (from yoga to running).

The solutions that arise everyday are impressive and transformations and their accessibly is truly amazing. New companies create new jobs and now directions in science.However, some presenters did not  focus on the incorporation in existing systems, metrics of tracking and success, that I assume is essential in any health care related innovation and activities. In addition, not every start-up has a staff with clinical/public health experience.

Similar opinion and more on Health IT start-ups: go to Anne DeGheest`s blog.

The closing speech from Daniel Kraft, MD  summarized the most recent innovations in health care: “As a cancer doctor, I’m looking forward to being out of a job.”