Just over four years ago, Health Tech Insider was launched. Our mission has evolved and been refined over those years, but in the final analysis we continue to cover wearable and mobile devices for health and medical applications, along with the supporting technologies that make them possible.
That journey began with a single post, but by putting up one post after another, this entry marks the 2,000th step on this journey. We’ve seen the industry grow rapidly over the past four years. It has started to shift from a consumer/enthusiast market to one that addresses the needs of corporate employers and major healthcare systems. We continue to see fascinating discoveries and developments coming out of university labs and startup spin-offs. And some of them actually make it to market with a shipping product.
Perhaps the most important development is that we continue to see reasons for hope. This technology is already saving millions of dollars in healthcare costs, improved the health outcomes for millions of people, and saved countless lives. Well-designed research continues to produce results that prove the value of these advances: a child’s cough diagnosed by a smartphone recording, wearable “artificial pancreas” that keep diabetic patients within range than manual injections, virtual reality goggles as a non-chemical way to control pain. And those are just a few of the dozens and dozens of studies that we have reported on here at Health Tech Insider.
And if you’ll indulge me for one more moment, our efforts are paying off. Our readership grows steadily from month to month. The subscriber list for our free weekly newsletter includes an impressive list of companies ranging from world-wide corporations to leading technology companies to small startups and labs. It is a highly-engaged B2B community, and the list continues to grow. When I go to conferences in Las Vegas or Melbourne, Australia, or Dublin, Ireland, I inevitably hand my card to someone who says, “Oh yes, I get your newsletter. And I read it every week!” It’s encouraging to note that our efforts are paying off. (Another indication is that health tech conferences around the world approach us to be media partners to help promote their events.)
I want to close by thanking the writers who have contributed to the great content on this site in recent years, especially my long-time friend and colleague Bruce Brown. I also want to thank the original publisher, Dan Rosenbaum, who asked me to take the reins of this project when it launched four years ago. But most of all, I want to thank you, the readers and subscribers, who find our coverage useful. Some of you have told me that you find stories here that you don’t find anywhere else. And that we cover the content in a unique and valuable way that is useful and interesting to you.
As we set out on the next 2,000 posts, I invite you to let me know what you think about Health Tech Insider. What are we doing right, and what can we do better? What can we do to help you with your projects? I’d love to hear from you.
Alfred Poor, Editor
alfredpoor@healthtechinsider.com
