Texas A&M is headed to Austin, Texas, to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference to bring our outstanding thought leadership, research and innovations during “Innovation Week.” As a worldwide leader in research, discovery and innovation, this will showcase the superb work happening at our university to a global audience.
In particular, Dr. Gerard Coté, director of the Center of Remote Health Technologies and Systems, will represent the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the SXSW conference in a panel titled “Disrupting traditional healthcare with innovation and technology.” The purpose of this panel is to bring into light some of the current issues that traditional healthcare is facing and how innovations and technology are a driving force to help revolutionize the industry. Due to the rising costs of healthcare and the large demand for professionals within the medical field, traditional healthcare is in need of innovative research in affordable point-of-care health technologies and engineered systems that can enhance the health and quality of life for individuals while reducing the cost burden of the healthcare system.
Coté was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) on Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP). The PATHS-UP vision is to change the paradigm for the health of underserved populations by developing revolutionary and cost-effective technologies and systems at the point-of-care.
“In the early 19th century, most patients stayed at home and doctors went to the patient in order to provide health care. Eventually public hospitals emerged originally to care for the poor but expanded and improved to attract upper middle class,” said Coté. “By developing innovative health technologies to collect data, model that data, and send it to the health care provider at the right time, they may be able to again visit the patient in their home virtually.”
In addition, Dr. Carrie L. Byington, who serves as dean of the Texas A&M College of Medicine, senior vice president of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center and vice chancellor for health services of The Texas A&M University System, will join Coté on the panel. Also on the panel, Dr. Roderic I. Pettigrew, a physician-scientist and internationally recognized leader in biomedical imaging and bioengineering, has a senior leadership role at both Texas A&M and Methodist Hospital and is the CEO of the new program known as EnHealth that will integrate engineering into all of the Texas A&M colleges within the university’s system that are part of the healthcare enterprise.
Dr. Joseph Frassica is head of Philips Research, Americas and Chief Medical Officer, Royal Philips North America, and will moderate the panel. Frassica is focused on leading a broad-based medical, science and technology team to bring clinically meaningful innovation to the bedside.
The 2018 SXSW conference is Friday, March 9 through Tuesday, March 13 and this panel will be on Tuesday March 13th at 3:30 PM at the Courtyard Marriott, 300 East 4th Street, Austin TX.