Thanks for the comment.

Jim

The person/ patient is at the centre, and we have the technology and ability for this to be so. It also means that the traditional drivers in healthcare that are based more so on a disease model can change and move towards a health care model.

Thanks again

It’s easy to make predictions without timeframes and I should have included some to provide context to my post. This is definitely 3-5 years out and goes beyond the timing you’ve laid out above, which I agree with.

There are variables (technology) and my hypothesis is dependent on strong, loosely organized and passionate networks and communities. The beginnings of this are in place and its anything but top down. It should be interesting to see how it all pans out.

This is a very top-down approach. Instead of concentrating on what “can” be created, you’ll be asking medical device employees to spend hundreds, possibly thousands, of hours looking through medical device creations submitted by consumers’ imaginations. I believe that on a social level, this idea could work. e.g. Consumers telling medical companies HOW they want them to take a larger role in social interaction, but on a physical medical device side, I don’t foresee this being an effective solution. Even on a social side, most consumer’s don’t even know what they want exactly and asking everyone could cause total disarray.

” * It’s the ultimate opportunity cost situation. What will manufacturers have to give up in order to gain?”

I don’t think manufacturers will have to give up too much, especially not monetarily. The main driver for new medical creations coming from the patient is not $$ but for the patient to live an easier, happier life. The $10k reward offered by DiabetesMine definitely helped with publicity but I believe there would be just as many entries if the reward was $1,000. Perhaps users wouldn’t have spent so much time on multimedia creations, instead opting for text based descriptions, but the driver was the opportunity for the individual who usually doesn’t have a voice to use this platform and offer solutions. If professionals submit their creations, they are likely planning on inventing this anyway. After all, the rewards from successfully bringing a product to market far outweigh $10k (See: John McCain futily proposes $300 million to company who invents better electric car battery.)

What manufacturers should do is make a similar platform that allows users to exchange ideas and offer feedback on new technology the company will be coming out with, and utilize social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Mobile Apps to do this. Here are my ideas:

1) Large Pharma is trying to get into social media…what better way to do it then making a web and mobile platform intended for consumers to congregate and discuss specific devices and programs the company will be offering? An organized conversation (company shows a product and ask a specific question, users start talking) is more effective that letting consumers roam and this company will show how forward thinking they are and how they listen.

2) Company Savings – In many ways they’ll be laying the foundation to save substantially by reducing the need for traditional focus groups.

2.5) Offer small donations to charities like the JDRF, etc. for responses.

I think we’re saying a lot of the same things, however I believe that it needs to be organized and controlled in order to be effective. Present new and exciting products to consumers, encourage comments and feedback, and have real people converse with the groups is a more productive way to go about it than opening the flood gates.

Pharma might say: But we’re allowing our competitors to see feedback on specific products which they can then analyze and use for free!
My response: Social media is to build your brand and to show consumers that you are SINCERELY trying to help and understand them. The positive branding for your company will far outweigh these “secrets” concerns, and if you’re not ready to provide an open platform because you’re afraid your competitors will be listening, then you aren’t ready to dive into social media at all.

Thanks for the comment.

Jim