by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
At a national professional association meeting recently, I found myself sitting at a luncheon table next to a healthcare software developer from California. Although we had never met before, Malni was an interesting lunch-table companion and exuded great energy as he talked about his company. By day he’s a vice president at a hospital, and by night he tends to the company he started several months ago.
His company brings together various data points found in health wearable devices. His software enables a person to download the data being collected by his/her wearable and transform it into a measurable and trackable dashboard of health indicators.
With his trusty iPad at the table, Malni gave me a quick demonstration of how his company’s service worked.
“Intriguing,” I said, “and what a terrific help to persons whose devices collect daily data but have no way to make sense of it all. Is it expensive to subscribe?”
“No, it doesn’t cost anything,” Malni responded. “I do this because I just want people to become healthier. This is what the Affordable Care Act and Population Health and the Patient-Centered Medical Home are all about. Becoming healthier.”
I certainly couldn’t argue with that, but I asked how he could provide such an elaborate dashboard product for free. Tinkering with software is just a side hobby for him because he enjoys it, and if people can benefit from his tinkering, all the better.
So Malni dutifully put me on his emailing list and promised to include me in messages as he kept improving the software. He felt that the prototype worked but that was just baby step number one. Over the past few weeks I’ve heard from Malni several times, and his most recent email message offered a link to his health data coordination service asking me to “Please check out my program. I want your feedback, so please share your candied thoughts.”
Hmmm. Candied thoughts. Alright – here goes: “Malni, while others may SNICKER at you for giving away your hard work at no charge, I can see that you’re not looking for a PAYDAY. No, you’re figuring out a way to have the MOUNDS of wearables data make sense for users. Why, what a GOOD & PLENTY use of your computer skills for others. I send you a KISS.”
[Sr. Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]