When I was in med school, there was a term we used to describe the folks at the top of the class— a “gunner.” I wasn’t one as I had very little interest in studying 100 hours a week just to be in the top 3. I always needed balance in my life. I was too curious about photography or exploring nature around me or … Continue reading On being a gunner (and taking a break)

To officially diagnose COVID-19, a physical test must be performed. Here’s what telehealth should be able to do: ‪1: Establish pre-test probability of disease from patient self-reported symptoms. ‪2: Based on symptoms, communicate to the patient detailed next steps and exactly where to go and what to do. 3: Connect pre-test probability with actual test results. 4: Maintain a relationship with the patient throughout the … Continue reading What is the role of telehealth at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Today’s tech, by nature, is designed to optimize a user’s experience, streamline processes, and do it as inexpensively as possible. Lyft, Uber, Airbnb, you name it. That’s the point of technology. Tech has revolutionized the world because a user cares about these things and entrepreneurs can now easily build services that unlock whole new ways of doing things. So, what does this mean for healthcare? … Continue reading Better, faster, cheaper— but for whom?

When you’ve got a health issue, it’s a 3 day, 3 week, or sometimes, an every day for the rest of your life ordeal. An office visit with a doctor is a 10 minute tiny snapshot of that ordeal. And if something changes or you have more questions, there’s no way to reconnect without another appointment. Your doctor, and always the same doctor, should be … Continue reading What could that notification mean?

Yesterday, I spoke at the School of Visual Arts MFA Interaction Design Program here in NYC. Liz Danzico, creative director of NPR, is the chair and founder of the program. Every month, they have special guests speak with the students about how design impacts their company or product. A little over 11 years ago, I launched my first practice that was a bit like Marcus … Continue reading “Why haven’t you quit?”

Any time a healthcare innovation gains traction, the old guard screams “show me the data that proves this new thing is better!” And then the press jumps in and starts trolling everyone because controversy drives clicks and page views and revenue, and trolling is today’s business model for the press. Here’s the latest example: Leapfrog, a group that rates hospitals, is going to start rating … Continue reading The old guard’s definition of the gold standard is the primary reason why healthcare innovations flounder.

Last week, I spoke at a telehealth conference at Stony Brook University. Here’s my first slide: Here’s why. Sixteen years in, the industry leader did 1.1 million visits in the past 12 months. To put this in perspective, there are 1.1 billion doctor visits per year in America. A recent study also showed that, out of 20 million people, 0.51% of them filed a telehealth … Continue reading Telehealth vs. Urgent Care: Who is the clear winner?