Scenario planning for personal health technology strategies for RWJF's Project HealthDesign

The field of personal health records (PHRs) and associated health information tools and devices is rapidly changing. While first-generation PHR products and services have been available for several years, they are limited in terms of the comprehensiveness of the data they can provide and the features they offer, and have generally not achieved broad uptake. Through Project HealthDesign, RWJF has been articulating a vision for and attempting to stimulate the development of next generation PHRs, which are based on the idea that the service that stores personal health information should serve as a platform that enables a marketplace of developers to offer applications and tools to meet the needs of diverse populations. In the past year, major next generation PHR services have been announced or rumored by both Microsoft and Google. The impact of these and other offerings is uncertain, as are the effects that might result from possible policy changes, including congressional legislation, on the horizon. This project will explore these uncertainties by developing plausible alternative scenarios for the development of the PHR and personal health technologies landscape over the next 5-10 years. Approximately 20 people, including the Foundation's Pioneer Portfolio staff, Project HealthDesign National Program Office staff and National Advisory Committee members, and outside experts will come together for a two-day scenario development workshop. This exploration will provide a context for developing a possible second-stage investment in Project HealthDesign and identify other opportunities to accelerate innovation in the area of personal health technologies.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $165,810.00

Awarded on: 11/16/2007

Time frame: 11/15/2007 - 11/14/2008

Grant Number: 63464