My grandfather, Frank H.J. Figge, was a cancer researcher who faced shortages during World War II and had to improvise to keep his lab going. When he ran short of quartz lenses he remembered hearing that plastic also transmits ultraviolet rays and filled synthetic sausage casings with water to create a perfect — much cheaper — substitute. Nurses have […]
Nurses in the Smithsonian spotlight
The people best suited to solve a problem are often those experiencing it. Experimentation — and documentation — should be part of everyone’s toolbox, no matter where you sit in an organization or hierarchy. Prototypes should be shared, not hidden away. Early feedback is golden. Everyone is a potential innovator. I’m excited to explore these themes and more with Tiffany […]
“His doctors were stumped. Then he took over.”
How might we empower people to participate in research about their own diseases or conditions? Which models work best for organizations solving medical mysteries or improving care for those living with rare conditions? These are two of the questions raised by a New York Times story today: “His doctors were stumped. Then he took over,” by Katie Thomas […]
Invent Health
As winter sets in here in DC, I’m warming up with memories of September’s Stanford Medicine X conference. I loved putting together a keynote that highlighted how the maker movement intersects with the e-patient movement — and how private sector and government leaders can benefit. This intersection, and the lessons we are learning from it, are the latest examples […]
The sky is now her limit
Check out this gem of a postcard from 1920, entitled: The sky is now her limit. The detail I wish was true: that we had achieved wage equality before women gained political appointments. What is true: The ratio of female notaries to males is 3 to 1 in some states. And yes, if you can’t read […]
Documents of controversial times
I’m speaking today at Stanford Medicine X about what I’ve learned exploring the intersection between the Maker movement and health care (tune in at 4:25pm Pacific). I posted a short version of my remarks on Medium, but I thought I’d post an image I was very happy to find to illustrate one theme: revolutions happen when people are […]
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