Alice Rathjen (blog, twitter) is coming to Health Camp Boston.
Please tell us a little about your day job.
Currently Founder and SeeUhOh of DNA Guide. We’re barely funded, so basically I’m a starving artist – but it’s a fun gig and I love it. DNA Guide is a google earth for the cell – delivering a search engine for personal genetic data.
What are you passionate about?
Collaboratively creating the future.
What are you doing to “hack” health care?
We’re just trying to let the web take its course. I think the web is rapidly going to evolve into a biological network – with genomes and other biometrics used to convert people into a node on the network. The web has a life of its own and as much as health policy experts try to keep health information off the network … sooner or later they’re going to loose control.
Why are you attending HealthCamp Boston?
The unconferences are AWESOME. It’s where everyone gets to bounce crazy ideas around… and no telling what might happen.
If you were to lead a session, what would it be about?
Big Data + Health Data = ?
I think this would be a good cat and mouse session of how entities (the cat) are trying to aggregate all this information and yet most patients (the mouse) are resisting having their health information commercialized behind their back. Once genomes enter the picture… the stakes in terms of liability for data aggregators escalate.
My own opinion is that our health records will have our genetic data in it soon …. so we might has well leverage the power of that data set to create a patient centered universal health record based on real time consent. Concerns over patient safety can easily be mitigated through proper use of technology. Historically… once people are put the position of being able to control who they share their information with — the rate of information exchange explodes.
If you really want big health data…. let people use their genomes to convert themselves into a biological domain and have them pick a trusted registrar for hosting their genome and whatever other part of their EHR is portable. Imagine what’s possible with a .BIO network.
Anyway… I’m a little bored with my own idea. Looking forward to hearing others.
What kinds of people do you want to meet at HealthCamp?
Long term global visionaries that believe rapid and radical change for the US health care system is both possible and desirable. I’m also looking for visionaries wanting to deploy a patient centered universal health record outside of the US.
In terms of my personal focus, DNA Guide is looking for pilot projects with entities wanting a tool for physician/patient engagement with genetic data.
See you at HealthCamp Boston.
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