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Progress in health care can often be as prolonged and painful as the ailments we seek to treat. When you consider how far technology has come in the last century alone, it can feel frustrating to be told to “call back at 8.30am” to book a doctor’s appointment when the phone lines open. It’s the year 2020, after all.   My 1990’s self would likely be dumbfounded that we still use telephones as a method of communication at all, let alone relying on such an archaic process for so

I revisited a Q3 2018 report from StartUp Health around digital health funding earlier this week. It contains insights into the most active investors, functions and technologies from January to end of September 2018, and generally paints a rosy picture of growth within the digital health funding landscape.   It’s fascinating stuff. Not least because Q3 2018 achieved the highest quarter performance since tracking began in 2010, with a whopping $4.5bn generated through seed, v

Peloton have certainly made a name for themselves in the seven years since they launched as an exercise equipment brand in New York City — and not just for lambasted ‘Peloton lady’  ad   that went viral in December for all the wrong reasons. Hailed as the  future   of tech fitness, the company is now believed to be worth billions. Their core offering is a luxury stationary bicycle that allows users to stream spinning classes through a monthly subscription.  Unsurprisingly, th

As alluded to in blogs gone by I don’t have a lot of free time, so when I finally do dedicate an hour or so to watching a film or TV programme I want to ensure it’s of the highest quality. Black Mirror is one such programme.  ​ From humble beginnings on Channel 4, Charlies Brooker’s dark, dystopian and thought-provoking anthology series has evolved into an Emmy award-winning juggernaut for Netflix. Not bad for the guy we’re used to seeing angrily critiquing shows from his so

Trying to book an appointment at your local GP surgery is enough to bring anyone out in a cold sweat. That is, unless you enjoy spending your mornings listening to on-hold music or getting short shrift from disgruntled reception staff who clearly overslept on the day that customer service training was given. ​ Or you might be one of the lucky ones in the catchment areas of well-run surgeries who have adopted the latest technologies to streamline and simplify the end-to-end pa

“You won’t always have a calculator on you, will you?” The lasting words of maths teachers, engrained in the memories of the masses — at least if you were born before the year 2000. Nobody could have predicted just how wrong they were. Now, everyone with a smartphone literally has a calculator, diary, library, radio station and so much more in their pockets — and on their person — from the moment they wake up to the time they go to sleep. And whilst traditional aids such as p

If you’ve seen Spike Jonze’s 2013 film, Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, the prospect of forming an intimate and meaningful relationship with artificial intelligence might not seem too far-fetched...  ​ For in the not-too-distant future, we find our protagonist — a lonely, depressed and introverted individual named Theodore Twombly (played by Phoenix) — seeking solace from a female-voiced virtual assistant to numb the pain of his impending divorce. Samant

The sheer popularity of books pertaining to the world of work can be visible from a passing glance at a Waterstone’s window display. Time management, how to influence others, how to be less stressed, how to get what you want and feel happy whilst doing so…     Conversely, the supposed “secret” to managing your time more effectively can only be unlocked by spending your precious time learning how to do so.  In most cases, there is no quick fix — no single remedy to a lifelong

Think phobias only relate to eight-legged critters, tall buildings and small spaces? Think again. There's a new phobia in town and it's got your number... ​ Where trends in digital health are concerned, it’s no surprise to see the big buzzwords crop up in predictions time and time again — AI, blockchain, remote monitoring... It’s not so much about uncovering “the next big thing”, as it is identifying when new developments will reach scalable, sustainable and, thereby, success

It’s stating the obvious to say technology has forever changed the way we interact. From telegrams to emails to FaceTime, innovations in the communications sphere have consistently strived to simplify and streamline the process of keeping in touch and up-to-date.   Whilst I am guilty of spending many an idle moment marvelling at this rapid and radical progress, for me it pales into insignificance compared with the great strides made within the realms of healthcare. The Apple

Ever wondered how long you spend on your smartphone each day? There’s an app for that… Ok, the Apple slogan doesn’t quite ring true in this case — it’s a feature within Settings rather than an app in itself — but Screen Time on the iPhone has cracked the case of deciphering where your lost hours are spent, and in impressively granular detail. Released as a key feature of iOS 12 in September 2018, Screen Time tracks how many times you pick up your phone during a specified peri

I’m not usually one for self-help books. I’ve always felt life lessons are best learned through enduring personal experience, rather than heeding prescriptive advice from writers who enjoy a very different existence to my own. ​ That said,  The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck   had an intriguing title and the coveted New York Times Bestseller accolade — enough to warrant a read from me.  Before reading the book, I was of the view that many of these so-called “experts” in hap

With the airwaves dominated by talk of Brexit, you’d be forgiven for thinking this blog is about the governmental department. A topical thought-piece on immigration and national security, perhaps? Not today. Instead, I’d like to share with readers my  home office — a place of sanctuary away from distractions and, dare I say it, the somewhat calamitous political landscape of the UK right now. The nature of my day job dictates a significant proportion of my time is spent behind