HHS innovator: Grants, challenges are growing healthcare entrepreneurs - from MedCityNews

When you hear “government” and “healthcare,” you probably think Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs directed at the general public.

Wil Yu

Wil Yu, director of innovations at the Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, by contrast, wants to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the private sector to solve big healthcare problems.

His tools? Data liberacion and app challenges that are designed to help entrepreneurs think up and build the next innovative solution for problems facing the industry.

In his government job, the former investment banker and equity analyst:

• Leads several innovation grant programs and created “Investing in Innovations;“
• directs the Strategic Health IT Advanced Research Projects program;
• serves as a senior adviser at the CMS Innovation Center and on the HHS Innovation Council;
• manages the DC-to-VC program;
• and co-founded the Federal mHealth Collaborative.

He also has helped with many challenges that range from heart health to hospital-to-home transitions.
Yu talked with MedCity News about gaming and health, access to data, and the DC-to-VC program.

MedCity: Many people are skeptical about government’s role in innovation. How can you convince people that government is on their side?

for the full interview:
http://medcitynews.com/2012/05/hhs-innovator-government-is-supporting-innovative-ecosystem-in-healthcare/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hhs-innovator-government-is-supporting-innovative-ecosystem-in-healthcare