By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    triathlon training tips
    6 Triathlon Training Tips For Kickstarting A Lifelong Passion
    February 9, 2023
    How Health Access Solutions Are Revolutionizing Security
    How Health Access Solutions are Revolutionizing Security
    April 25, 2023
    health benefits of taking a vacation to reduce stress
    Relaxing European Destinations to Reduce Stress Risks to Health
    October 11, 2021
    Latest News
    How to Recognize the Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
    May 27, 2023
    4 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist
    May 24, 2023
    11 Ways To Modernize Your Private Practice
    May 17, 2023
    Important Steps to Take for Scaling A Biopharma Product
    May 2, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    How Many Tests Do Doctors Need to Make a Diagnosis?
    April 29, 2012
    Why There Is Stalemate in Washington
    September 21, 2011
    How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat: The Roles Diet, Stress, And Exercise Play In Belly Fat Reduction (Part 2)
    June 4, 2012
    Latest News
    MRI Sedation Options: What You Should Know Before Screening
    May 17, 2023
    What is the Process of Creating Medicine from Nature?
    May 2, 2023
    Choosing the Right Treatment Option for Varicose Veins
    May 2, 2023
    What Are Wrong-Site Surgeries and How Do They Occur?
    April 27, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Welcome to the age of the patientpreneur
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Innovations > Welcome to the age of the patientpreneur
Medical InnovationsSocial MediaTechnology

Welcome to the age of the patientpreneur

Paul Tunnah
Last updated: 2017/09/12 at 9:18 PM
Paul Tunnah
Share
4 Min Read
patientpreneur
SHARE

The modern pharmaceutical industry, now accounting for annual sales of over one trillion dollars, started from humble roots in the late 19th and early 20th century. Companies that are now global leaders and household names in this sector, like Johnson and Johnson or Pfizer, can trace their roots back to pharmacists looking to scale their businesses and chemical manufacturers discovering medicines largely through serendipity. Today, with the cost of drug development being quoted as anywhere up to $4 billion, it is an industry that is not for the inexperienced or those without deep pockets. Starting a new drug company requires significant investment and is highly risky, keeping the doors firmly shut to most would-be medicinal entrepreneurs. Now, technology has changed everything. The same digital revolution that has allowed companies like Facebook and Uber to achieve enormous global scale in such short timescales is now driving a revolution in healthcare, allowing innovators to connect with vast numbers of customers extremely quickly and / or develop new products and services in the kind of rapid timescales that represent the blink of an eye for a traditional drug developer. But healthcare has a secret weapon that I think could accelerate technological innovation in this sector much more quickly than in any other – patients. Entrepreneurs are often driven by a passion for solving a problem that is personal to them, to a level that can be an obsession. Think of Steve Jobs’ desire to seamlessly combine technology and design for better user experience, or Elon Musk’s passion for making the electric car a mainstream reality. But what stronger obsession can there be than that of a patient seeking to improve their quality, or length, of life? These are the patients, or indeed their family or carers, who have looked for traditional medicine for help and found it lacking. They have looked in every corner of the world for new innovations coming through that might offer some hope – and found nothing. They have been left dissatisfied by what they see and decided the only way forward is to help themselves. Welcome to the age of the patientpreneur. They are making a difference by building communities, advising other commercial companies, crowdsourcing new research and, perhaps most impressively, building new technologies that can change not only their lives but all those with similar conditions. These patientpreneurs are launching companies, securing investment and achieving global scale by combining typical entrepreneurial skills with their own, very personal perspective on living with a condition, providing a unique 24/7 viewpoint that no market research can match. It would be wrong of me to single out any specific individual, or company, but many of these patientpreneurs are people I would consider friends and the individuals who inspire me every day. If you want a glimpse of some of the types of people I am talking about then you will find many of them in abundance at the upcoming Frontiers Health event in Berlin, where I will be discussing exactly this convergence of medicine, data, and technology. We need the pharmaceutical industry to continue to grow and develop ever better drug interventions, but for me, the emerging era of the patientpreneurs represents a renaissance in medicine that will see an industry of technological medicine grow to rival its traditional cousin in size – and complement it in doing so. The next Mark Zuckerberg may do more than keep you connected to your friends, they might just save your life.

TAGGED: patientpreneur

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Paul Tunnah November 2, 2016
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article Image The role of secure mobile messaging in healthcare
Next Article social media success Social Media: 23 All-Time Tips and Techniques for Doctors

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

How to Recognize the Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
How to Recognize the Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
Health May 27, 2023
nursing trends and predictions
Biggest Nursing Trends and Predictions for 2023
Nursing May 25, 2023
medical answering service
How Medical Answering Services Can Improve Patient Care
Technology May 25, 2023
healthy parenting
4 Ways Parents Can Raise a Healthy and Happy Child
Parenting May 25, 2023

You Might also Like

medical answering service
Technology

How Medical Answering Services Can Improve Patient Care

May 25, 2023
pet health apps
News

9 Best Apps for Pet Owners Trying to Keep their Animals Healthy

May 22, 2023
Biotechnology
Technology

What Are The Benefits of Biotechnology?

May 17, 2023
CRM for pharmaceutical
Technology

The Top Benefits of CRM Tools for Pharmaceutical Brands

May 11, 2023
//

We influence million of users and is the most authentic source of information on healthcare business and technology news.

Quick Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US

© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?