An Intense Experience of the Future of Medicine and Care

Berlin, October 2019: research and practice of medicine, education, and management concepts – powerful statements and presentations at XPOMET Medicinale enable sustainable healthcare in the future. This was the key take-home message from 2,600 attendees of this festival in Berlin which attracted international and German stakeholders. On the third day, doors also opened for citizens and patients.

New, different, and inspiring – presentations on five congress podiums and showcases in seven exhibition areas received positive feedback from the festival audience. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and digitization, XPOMET Medicinale pulled the curtain on researchers and best practice leaders of international renown. Artificial intelligence (AI), including topics Big Data and Deep Learning, as well as “Omics“ and molecular biology dominated the agenda on day 1. For day 2, the agenda put entrepreneurship and novel approaches to leadership into the limelight which embrace diversity, as well as business models in times of disruption – for care provider organizations as well as the industry.

Let’s learn from each other – this was the quintessence of talks by experts from Europe, the U.S., India, China, and beyond. Nick Adkins, PinkSocks evangelist and board member of a U.S.-based AI company, Dr. Jaanus Pikani, co-initiator of the Estonian Genome Project, and Medable CEO Michelle Longmire presented the potentials of digital approaches … with Germany lagging behind significantly. The general regarding policymaking and market conditions as well as in the context of precision medicine were in the focus of Handelsblatt correspondent Frank Sieren (China), Dr. Cornelius Glismann (Denmark) und Julianne McCall (California). How transfer research findings from bench to bedside? Replies to this question at the festival ranged from groundbreaking medical methods to making care facilities more esthetic and functional. Space medicine and technological-methodological implications for healthcare on Earth determined the presentation by Prof. Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund Chair of the DLR (German Aerospace) Executive Board.

Pioneers in the field of Smart Hospitals and virtual ORs for medical education also drew a large audience – with speakers including surgery experts such as Prof. Dr. Shafi Ahmed and Dr. Rafael Grossmann. How will new business models and new processes in healthcare, as well as the new data transfer technology 5G, Open Source, Big Data, Blockchain, and quantum computing transform the way we provide care? Visionary John Nosta provided insights in how technology developed from telescope to the microscope and down to Big Data as a basis for innovation – and he

called for a modified relationship of carers with patients, who ought to embrace them as collaboration partners rather than consider them as objects for services.

Ditch development aid – this postulation came from Dr. Auma Obama. The concept of poverty should be redefined with real needs in lieu of western commodities in the focus, and Westerners should meet Africans at an equal basis, said the NGO protagonist. – It was not just students who participated in the STEM sessions which included hints as to how alumni can successfully make their way into industry. – Your sheer willpower is all it takes: this was a key message from Viktoria Modesta in the presentations on women and leadership. Don’t let requirements regarding education or “permissions to make a career” play a role in reaching for your goals, said the bionic pop artist.

The showcases attracted large numbers of attendees who used the opportunity to, e.g., inspect a rescue helicopter and watch an active OR robot.

In the Digital-Health showcase, the “Data Tower” illustrated how the potentials of digitization can be tapped. Digital support for patient journeys from hospital admission down to selecting appropriate medication as well as the positioning of German health IT in comparison with other countries were in the focus of further showcases.

"Crossing Boundaries” put persons with disabilities in the focus. Highlights included the bionic pop artist Viktoria Modesta and para-athlete for Badminton Manasi Joshi. They both wear leg prostheses; and they discussed their path to a successful and happy life despite obstacles such as stigmatization.

The Future Hospital showcase illustrated the support by technology for processes – e.g. on the patient’s transportation from the site of an incident to the hospital, in the ICU there, and down to post-therapeutic care.

The "Patient’s World” provided insights into current and future habitats outside acute care which offer medical support enabled by technology. The showcase put care in homes for the elderly and for patients in rural areas in the center. – Walkable bowels served as an illustration of microbiome analysis by Biomes; this company offers the analysis of the microbiome, allowing for interpretations regarding overall health and certain conditions.

Awards for startups: among 33 pitches, the jury selected the three most promising companies and teams: Beablehealth and Neuraura were winners 3 and 2, MikroX Labs received the first prize.

“Next Generation Arena”: Stakeholders from the German initiative Hashtag Gesundheit and Medimeisterschaften sports festival for medical students presented their ideas and concepts which are geared towards breaking up traditional structures.

Healthcare Hackathon: at the XPOMET #healthhackathon19, nine teams involving multiple disciplines, totaling 60 participants, developed 19 solution concepts in medical technology, hospital management & care, and health insurance. Supported by the commitment of ETH Zürich, PwC, IBM, Bayer, InsurTech Hub Munich, and further organizations, challenges included identifying eye edemas caused by

diabetes by using smartphones; and monitoring compliance with payor incentivization programs by movement analysis. Google Cloud, Aicura Medical, Bayer IT, and The Impact Farm provided the infrastructure. Winners were the teams “Hack4Life“ (mobile screen retinopathy) from Switzerland, Alfaleus (age-related macular degeneration identification) from India, and Uncommon (digital personal trainer) from Berlin.

Spreading knowledge, sharing ideas, and getting inspired by art and music: “This great edition of the festival may be over – but the next XPOMET Medicinale is on its way!”. Everybody who’s ready for the future is invited – Arena Berlin/Germany, 15–17 October 2020.