Esther Dyson discusses health and big data at The Innovation Economy: Information Revolution Conference in Washington, DC.
Esther Dyson, chairman of EDventure Holdings and founder of the Health Initiative Coordinating Council, will moderate a health and wellness focused dialogue at the upcoming Aspen Institute Winter 2014 Socrates program, a forum for emerging leaders (ages approximately 28-45) from various professions convening to explore contemporary issues. The program, held this winter from Friday, February 14 to Monday, February 17 on the Aspen Meadows campus, will also provide the opportunity for participants to enter into a diverse professional network, and into the broader range of the Institute’s programs.
Dyson recently spoke about health and big data at The Innovation Economy: Information Revolution Conference, a Socrates program held in collaboration with the Intel Corporation and the Bipartisan Policy Center. During the Washington, DC, event, Dyson said the biggest issue we face using big data in the health arena is the health care system itself.
“The biggest problem is, we don’t need no stinking health care [sic],” she said. “We want health. The real opportunity is understanding how to keep people healthy, rather than to repair them after the fact.”
Dyson went on to explain that regardless of political affiliation, no one wants to pay health care costs if they can instead figure out how to keep people healthy in the first place, without too much intervention. She is currently working on a five-town study that aims to dramatically improve the health of the town residents from the ground up, through everything from healthier school lunches, to better hospital care, to bike-share programs, and more. Dyson said she expects the implementation of the study to result in socioeconomic benefits for the city’s residents, too, such as higher graduation rates.
At the upcoming 2014 Winter Seminar, Dyson will continue to explore what it takes to help people lead healthier lives through a seminar entitled Health and Wellness: Social Good or Personal Responsibility?. For more on the weekend’s schedule, click here. To join the conversation, register here.
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