Here’s the latest in our series of posts by and about the outstanding speakers we’ve lined up for the Society for Participatory Medicine’s second annual conference on Oct. 17 in Boston, attached to the prestigious Connected Health conference. Register here. (Our #SPM2018 blog series has more about the speakers and activities.)

It is increasingly evident that we needed to focus on actionable solutions to delivering participatory medicine, not just talking about it. Enter Brennen Hodge, founder of Citizen Health. Brennen has openly dedicated the next 30 years of his life to transforming healthcare as we know it to a decentralized health and wellness marketplace.

Citizen Health provides incentives for wellness through the Humantiv app. They are also leveraging blockchain technology to empower patients with their health information and take control of their health care, in part creating an open market place for health care called Medoplex. Medoplex is driving direct patient care (DPC) models while eliminating insurance companies. Brennen isn’t just talking about changing healthcare for the next generation. He’s rolled up his sleeves and is driving the change. These changes are the embodiment of participatory medicine.

“Participatory medicine means there is collaboration happening with my health,” Brennen said in an email interview. “As a patient, I can work with both my doctor and caregivers to formulate the best plan of action. There is trust in this style of medicine.”

Brennen will be presenting during the “Data: I’ll Share Mine If You Share Your” portion of the SPM conference. He hopes to inspire people with a vision of how healthcare could and should be, with a focus on health, not just sick care. Humbled to have the opportunity to speak at the event, Brennen said, “Sometimes all it takes is a spark to set a great idea in motion that will build tremendous value later. If I can gift ideas for a better future, I’d call that a success.”

There’s great excitement both within the SPM community and throughout healthcare communities as the event draws closer. When asked what he was hoping to be his takeaway from the event, Brennen said, “I expect to learn more about the patient side of medicine. From the speaker bios, I’d wager I’m going to leave with a renewed sense of purpose for Citizen Health.”

Join Us for #SPM2018 in Boston October 17

Learn more about SPM’s second annual conference on Oct. 17 in Boston or register here today ($100 for members, $150 for non-members). In our early years it’s priced as a great bargain for a full day. And see this blog’s #SPM2018 series for more about the speakers and activities.