A convergence of medical device and entertainment is in full swing to the benefit of patients and medical services providers everywhere.
From entertainment we will see great increases in engagement and accessibility to care. The medical world will bring scientific evidence, risk mitigation and greater quantification of why media is such a powerful therapeutic tool.
Our greatest challenge with this union is to not lose the high value assets that the two environments have to offer. Like a massive scale merger, we want to preserve what is great about both worlds and achieve some escape velocity from the negative aspects, one of which has often been a focus on profits over people.
To be clear, I see nothing wrong with making a profit by providing solid mental health products that meet a need, but where the emphasis is placed matters when creating a company (and offering) designed to reach vulnerable populations.
I am cautiously optimistic and a little bit giddy at the same time; if we (the digital therapeutics community) get this even close to right we may well help reshape medicine and accessible health care for generations to come.
