The Hacker Way
Feb 28, 2012

Now there's an idea! Declare a simple goal and engage a diverse collection of interested parties to refine the product through many iterations and variations in response to uptake and needs discovered along the way. That is how open source software like Linux gets good enough to challenge both Microsoft and Apple. That is how Facebook moved out of Mark Zuckerberg's dorm room. Can we apply that "hackers' way' in healthcare improvement? That was the concept behind a workshop, Hacking Health, held in Montreal last weekend. We began with 30 ideas that a range of people brought to the session: some healthcare workers, some healthcare users and some developers, programmers and web-designers. Two days of focused work resulted in some ready to go apps; others will take more work. The action potential was inspiring and a lot more practical that we usually hear from our professional healthcare planners.
Check out the February 20th Globe & Mail story? (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/health-news/bridging-the-gap-between-doctors-and-hackers-to-upgrade-health-care/article2344263/)