Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. and Henry Ford Health System have launched the Connected Health App Challenge that will reward employees who develop smartphone apps, wearable devices or in-vehicle systems to extend healthcare to the confines of a car.
- The ideal designs will increase communication between patients and providers and expand the boundaries of patient monitoring, according to the event organizers.
- The challenge starts on Jan. 20 at the Ford Conference & Event Center, the same day online submissions open.
Dive Insight:
Some suggested ideas include in-vehicle health monitoring and warning, medical test ordering and health record access from the road, appointment check-ins, prescription pick-ups and data collection that can be transferred to a physician or hospital, as permitted by a release.
The first phase of submissions will be due in February. Ten finalists will be chosen in March, followed by prototypes, pitches and then a selection of three winners in May or June. The winning design will receive $5,000; first runner-up prize $3,000 and second runner-up $2,000. Although individual submissions are acceptable, teams composed of employees from both organizations are encouraged.