Durham, NC – While wearables are getting quite a bit of attention in the quantified self movement, what to do with this type of data has been a puzzle to healthcare professionals. With this new technology, we have the ability to know way more than we ever knew what to do with. As wearable technology and mobile health and fitness apps grow in popularity, connecting this data to digital health platforms will activate patients to become more involved in their own care.

Mobile Apps just recently crossed a threshold and they aren’t looking back. While new data from ComScore’s U.S. Mobile App Report has found that most smartphone users are content with their selection of downloaded apps, mobile apps now account for 52% of all digital media engagements.

As we continue to use mobile health apps in meaningful ways, gathering this information into useful data sets will be essential.

Meet Validic, a company aiming to solve the accessibility and integration challenges by connecting health organizations with digital health applications. With their cloud-based platform, Validic allows you to control your FDA Class I Medical Device Data System (MDDS) standardized data and access it through their HIPAA compliant ecosystem.

Their goal is to standardize the process from wearable devices and digital health application to connect with pharmaceutical companies, hospital systems, and electronic health records. With an effort to improve patient engagement and improve population health, connecting the abundant amount of devices with a variety of system types can daunting.

Charles Jaffe, CEO of HL7, compared the lack of standardization in eHealth to the railroad industry. “What if the transcontinental railroad was built with 300 different gauges of track?” asked Dr. Jaffe.

But EHRs are this varied, maybe worse, and Validic could be a solution. With a recent $5M in first round funding, Validic is poised to make their platform an industry standard.

About the Author:

As Managing Director of Innovation and Insights for Syneos Health Communications, Leigh is responsible for building and scaling a global team of healthcare experts who together help life science leaders better understand the complex lives, influences and expectations of their customers. Specifically, they uncover actionable insights that fuel empathy and creativity; lead co-creation events that let marketers learn from peers, trends, and new possibilities; and help clients identify the most valuable and useful new customer experiences to create.

Leigh has worked with Fortune 1000 companies to craft their digital, mobile, social and CRM strategies for nearly 20 years.She’s worked for category-leading agencies in retail, public affairs, B2B technology, and higher education. Prior to moving to Syneos Health Communications, she held several leadership roles at our largest agency, GSW.  There, she founded an innovation practice fueled by the zeitgeist and spearheaded digital and innovation thinking across the business.

Leigh has taken a special interest in complex healthcare products that can change lives in meaningful ways. She was recently a strategic lead on the 3rd largest launch in pharmaceutical history: Tecfidera. Before that she had keys roles with Eli Lilly Oncology, Abbott Nutrition, Amgen Cardiovascular, and Eli Lilly Diabetes.

A critical part of Leigh’s work is trends and new ideas. Every year, she convenes a group of trend watchers from across our global network to identify the shifts most critical to healthcare marketers. This year, she led over 250 experts to experts to focus on the most important changes in the commercial, consumer, marketing, digital and healthcare landscapes. (See reports at trends.health)

Leigh is a sought-after writer and speaker. Recognized as one of the most inspiring people in the pharmaceutical industry by PharmaVoice and Top 10 Innovation Catalysts of 2017 by MM&M, Leigh also was recognized  as a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) for her overt passion, industry thought leadership and significant contributions in new business, strategy and mentoring.