The Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance), a nonprofit organization formed by HIMSS, and WEGO Health, a Boston-based digital health company, today announced a new strategic partnership to strengthen collaboration between connected health companies and freelance experts drawn from the patient and caregiver community. The partnership will accelerate patient-focused innovation by deploying the expertise of patient experts who bring both professional skills and personal health experience.
"PCHAlliance and WEGO Health share a commitment to ensuring that connected health solutions are designed not just for patients, but with patients," said Patty Mechael, PhD, executive vice president, PCHAlliance. "We believe we can support our members by helping them quickly discover vetted experts from the patient community who have the skills and experience to serve as consultants and who can be hired on-demand through the WEGO Health Experts platform."
Companies that participate in the PCHAlliance are among the world's leading developers of connected medical devices and apps that are aimed at improving patient care. Members include global technology and life sciences companies such as Intel Corporation, Roche and Qualcomm Life, as well as early stage digital health companies such as Propel Health, Get Real Health and Numedics. While worldwide adoption of connected devices continues to increase, studies show persistent challenges in patient adoption, including high abandonment rates and reduced impacts on long-term behavior.
"We see tremendous opportunities for connected health companies to bring patient expertise into every stage of these companies' life cycles, to ensure that apps and devices are co-designed, managed and adopted by the intended end users," said Jack Barrette, WEGO Health's founder and chief executive officer. "PCHAlliance members are on the bleeding edge of digital health technology and they need a low-friction way to find and collaborate with the early adopters on the patient side."
WEGO Health connects the healthcare industry with freelance patient experts, who are vetted freelance consultants and professionals with the ability to help drive patient-centered innovation. The company's network includes more than 125,000 patients and caregivers who manage chronic and complex health conditions, and who deeply understand the health consumer perspective. The WEGO Health Experts platform has already connected hundreds of companies with patient experts in market research, advisory boards, product design, influencer marketing, speaking engagements, and dozens of other specialties.
About the Personal Connected Health Alliance
The Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance) aims to make health and wellness an effortless part of daily life. The PCHAlliance, a non-profit organization formed by HIMSS, believes that health is personal and extends beyond healthcare. The Alliance mobilizes a coalition of stakeholders to realize the full potential of personal connected health. PCHAlliance members are a vibrant ecosystem of technology and life sciences industry icons and innovative, early stage companies along with governments, academic institutions, and associations from around the world. To support its vision, PCHAlliance convenes the global personal connected health community at the annual Connected Health Conference, the premier international event for the exchange of research, evidence, ideas, innovations and opportunities in personal connected health. The Alliance publishes and promotes adoption of the Continua Design Guidelines. Continua is recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as the international standard for safe, secure, and reliable exchange of data to and from personal health devices. PCHAlliance accelerates technical, business, policy and social strategies necessary to advance personal connected health through its Healthy Longevity initiative to promote lifelong health and wellness.
About WEGO Health
WEGO Health is a mission-driven company connecting healthcare with the experience, skills and insights of patient leaders, working across virtually all health conditions and topics. WEGO Health Experts is the first on-demand talent platform that matches companies seeking patient expertise with individuals who are available to work as independent consultants. WEGO Health's network collaborates with startups, life sciences companies, non-profits, agencies, government and all types of organizations across healthcare. WEGO Health offers enterprise and on-demand solutions that allow organizations to leverage patient experience and expertise in the design, development, and promotion of their products and services.
