---
title: "Keeping it real at high-tech health conferences"
description: "Two recent presentations focused on the human element of health and technology - my favorite topic."
date: "2012-10-23"
authors:
  - name: "Pew Research Center"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/10/23/keeping-it-real-at-high-tech-health-conferences/"
categories:
  - "Health Policy"
  - "Healthcare Online"
  - "Medicine & Health"
---

# Keeping it real at high-tech health conferences

Two high-tech health events were held last week -- an East Coast-West Coast data-driven smackdown. I chose East, but my eyes kept straying West, and I am very thankful that the organizers for both are archiving the videos online.

Here are a couple of stand-outs, first from [Living By Numbers](http://www.wiredhealthconference.com/) in New York City:

Jennifer Kurkoski and Brian Welle talked about how Google engages in behavioral design to help people avoid gaining weight even as they are surrounded by delicious food. Obvious tip: use smaller plates and you'll eat less. Non-obvious tip: don't trick people, tell them what you're doing and bring them into the game you're playing. ([Watch the video](http://fora.tv/2012/10/16/Kitchen_Insider_Googles_Plan_to_Keep_Employees_Healthy/Googles_Healthy_Employee_Strategy_Hiding_the_MMs).)

Meantime, in San Francisco, Alexandra Drane of Eliza Corp. regaled [Strata Rx](http://strataconf.com/rx2012) with her insights about how caregiving and stress might be even more serious health threats than diabetes and high blood pressure:

I loved how both of these presentations focused on the reality of people's lives. That's where I focus my energy and time. As I said at [Medicine X](http://medicinex.stanford.edu/) (and plan to say at [Connected Health](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Presentations/2012/Oct/Connected-Health.aspx)): the best way to anticipate the future is to understand – and respect – what people are doing today.

For further inspiration, please see:

[7 Key Take-aways from Wired Health](http://www.caroltorgan.com/wired-health-living-by-numbers/), by Carol Torgan

[Wired Health: Living by Numbers - a public health perspective](http://thepump.jsi.com/wired-health-living-by-numbers-a-public-health-perspective/), by Jodi Sperber

[Wired health: living by numbers - a review of the event](http://healthpopuli.com/2012/10/16/wired-health-living-by-numbers-a-review-of-the-event/), by Jane Sarasohn-Kahn

[WIRED healthcare conference shows data at work](http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/wired-healthcare-conference-shows-data-work), by Mike Miliard

[The Data Explosion](http://www.rwjf.org/en/blogs/pioneering-ideas/2012/10/the_data_explosion.html), by Brian Quinn

[Better Data=Better Health](http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/newsroom-content/2012/10/better-data---better-health-q-a-with-steve-downs.html): A Conversation with RWJF’s Steve Downs

[Data from health care reviews could power “Yelp for health care” startups](http://radar.oreilly.com/2012/10/health-data-mobile-epatients-ehealth.html), by Alex Howard

["Patient Engagement is the Blockbuster Drug of the Century"](http://www.forbes.com/sites/davechase/2012/09/09/patient-engagement-is-the-blockbuster-drug-of-the-century/) - a quote from Leonard Kish and the title of an article by Dave Chase

If you see other summaries of these events -- or the other excellent meetings which took place last week -- please let me know on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/SusannahFox).