Apple, Chatbots, Alzheimer’s, Intubation and MaskFone

Every once in a while I have to take a look back at my writing and assess it. And then also share some cool digital health resources that I dug up.

Apple, Chatbots, Alzheimer’s, Intubation and MaskFone

This is another one of those issues which contains a few random links from digital health. There are two reasons for this:

  1. Medicine is sometimes a little overwhelming.
  2. I have to clear my “Notion link inbox”, which accumulated a lot of super valuable stuff, but I had nowhere to put them.

Plus, I’ll use this occasion for a little overview of what’s going on behind the scenes of this newsletter and what’s coming.


Let’s first tackle the formalities, you can skip this section if you’re super uninterested, but I think it’ll be a great insight.

  1. First, a favour. If you enjoy reading the issues, please share them and the website with the world. Just click these links: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and email…and don’t forget to tag me! This also benefits you as I’m planning on building a community of members (read below).
  2. The subscriber base is growing “nice’n’easy”. Part of the reason for this is that I keep cleaning inactive (or cold) subscribers to keep this newsletter as engaged as possible. That’s why I also more than encourage you to unsubscribe below…there will be no hard feelings! The other part of the reason is that there just aren’t that many visitors to the website at the moment. But I believe in the process.
  3. Finally, once the member base gets a little bigger, I’ll also set up a community of members…probably in the form of comments below posts. This will spark the discussion and maybe even get you some new contacts around the world. That’s why, please spread the word if you find all of this valuable enough.

Now on to the good stuff.


This one is short and sweet.

Apple and LumiHealth

Somehow this piece of news slipped all the issues, even though it was published in the Apple Newsroom.

The Singapore government partnered with Apple with LumiHealth, “a personalised program to encourage healthy activity and behaviours using Apple Watch”. It’s all about encouraging a healthy lifestyle through tech and a playful app. LumiHealth is made like a game that guides users through personal tasks based on their age, gender and weight. They can complete activity goals such as walking, yoga, running, swimming and sleep to earn rewards throughout the programme. The app even reminds users about screenings and immunisations.

The whole thing is designed as a kind of clinical trial. Users opt-in if they want, consent with sharing information, and they can opt-out whenever they want. The 2-year period will likely provide them with new and valuable insights.

Top Health Chatbots

Chatbots are undoubtedly the future of reducing the burden of primary care doctors. They’re a sort of triage for primary care and will certainly improve healthcare.

This article from The Medical Futurist looked into the top 12 health chatbots already available. Here they are: OneRemission, Youper, Safedrugbot, Babylon, Florence, YourMD, Ada Health, Sensely, Buoy Health, Infermedica, Gyant and Cancer Chatbot.

The Top 12 Healthcare Chatbots - The Medical Futurist
We strongly believe that only digital health can bring healthcare into the 21st century and make patients the point-of-care.

Data and Alzheimer’s

I swear I only saw this video after I published and sent the last issue. But it largely addresses the same issue and tackles it through collecting data.

Only this time through the words of Bill Gates.

Treat this as an addition to the last email on dementia. There’s an initiative that aims to merge and connect the data we have on Alzheimer’s disease. It’s called Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI).

Intubating With AI

This tool was developed by GE and helps doctors assess patients before intubating them to reduce the chance of negative consequences. The tool is an AI system paired with a mobile X-ray device. “Up to a quarter of patients who are intubated outside of the operating room have misplaced ETTs on chest X-rays, which can lead to hyperinflation of the lungs, collapsed lung (pneumothorax), cardiac arrest and death.”

GE Healthcare’s AI tool helps clinicians intubate patients accurately and safely -
An artificial intelligence tool developed by GE Healthcare twinned with a mobile X-ray device can help the placement of endotracheal tubes (ETTs), a necessary step for COVID-19 patients who require ventilation

MaskFone

Over the weekend I received an email that contained some info about MaskFone, which made me interested. It’s a face mask that has a built-in microphone, headphones and basic music controls. The filter is also interchangeable. It’s pretty cool, and they still have some discounts.

From global.maskfone.com
From global.maskfone.com