Yesterday’s medical breakthrough was a new drug. Tomorrow’s breakthrough is the intelligent algorithm that designs the drug, the connected device that delivers it, and the data stream that confirms it worked.
— Jim Carroll
The opportunity
Enable elderly individuals to live independently for longer, provide caregivers with real-time health alerts, and allow for timely intervention in case of emergencies or declining health.
From “Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #4 Healthcare: “Yesterday’s medical breakthrough was a new drug. Tomorrow’s breakthrough is the intelligent algorithm that designs the drug, the connected device that delivers it, and the data stream that confirms it worked.”” (September 2025)
Bio-connectivity & the virtualization of care : The hospital as we know it is disappearing, extending its reach into the community and the home through a new generation of intelligent, Internet-connected medical devices.
The data-driven healthcare dashboard : We are moving from episodic data collection to a continuous, real-time stream of health intelligence, enabling community-wide monitoring of emerging health challenges.
The global ” remote patient monitoring (RPM) market ” is projected to experience explosive growth, expanding from $27.72 billion in 2024 to $56.94 billion by 2030. A study of the Heartbeat Health virtual cardiology program provided compelling evidence of its efficacy. This 100-day post-discharge program, combining virtual visits with remote patient monitoring, achieved a 53% reduction in cardiac-related hospital readmissions .
From “Beyond Politics: The Science of Healthcare” (December 2016)
technology is taking over medicine. BIo-connectivity devices such as remote blood pressure monitoring devices allows for the virtualization of many health care services (“bedless hospitals”) at a much lower cost
digital mobile technologies are allowing many people to ‘get closer’ to their health, by monitoring, gaining a better understanding and actively managing chronic conditions such as blood pressure and diabetes
Does the science of healthcare make a difference? In 2012, I did a keynote for the health care professionals and senior leadership of Mercy Health, and suggested they get aggressively involved in exploring virtual health care ideas. Imagine my surprise when I came access this item today - Mercy Virtual ! The initiative was established in 2006, but picked up significant steam from 2013 onwards… with 300+ patients now being monitored from afar. I sspecifically remember suggesting that as an activity when some questions came up in the Q&A.
From “Daily Inspiration: Healthcare and the Future - “You can always look forward by looking back!”” (January 2024)
What I said: “Today, of course, a good proportion of both critical and non-critical care patients receive health care at home. We’ve transitioned to a virtual community oriented caregiving strategy which has resulted in cost reductions and a refocus of critical health care spending.”
Observation: So, health care reform passed, and then health care wars began. The system is still bogged down in relentless hopeless politics. There is no solution in sight - the ‘great gutting’ of the system which occurred from late November 2016 to today, and a trillion dollar federal deficit, means that while the staggering scope of the challenges remain, there is little opportunity for big bold fixes. It’s not going to be pretty going forward - either for the system, or for the patients!
technology is taking over medicine. BIo-connectivity devices such as remote blood pressure monitoring devices allows for the virtualization of many health care services (“bedless hospitals”) at a much lower cost
Read the full pieces on jimcarroll.com:
Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #4 Healthcare: “Yesterday’s medical breakthrough was a new drug. Tomorrow’s breakthrough is the intelligent algorithm that designs the drug, the connected device that delivers it, and the data stream that confirms it worked.”
Beyond Politics: The Science of Healthcare
Daily Inspiration: Healthcare and the Future - “You can always look forward by looking back!”