{"id":7492,"date":"2018-03-26T15:52:32","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T19:52:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-digit\/submission\/crowdmed-a-virtual-dr-house\/"},"modified":"2018-03-26T15:52:32","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T19:52:32","slug":"crowdmed-a-virtual-dr-house","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-digit\/submission\/crowdmed-a-virtual-dr-house\/","title":{"rendered":"CrowdMed, a virtual Dr. House"},"content":{"rendered":"

CrowdMed is an online platform that connects patients with difficult medical conditions to a medical community that uses its collective intelligence to find the right diagnosis.\u00a0 When a patient has a rare condition or non-specific symptoms, getting an accurate diagnosis can be a costly process that takes months or even years.\u00a0 CrowdMed harnesses the combined savvy of more than 20,000 doctors, nurses, medical students, and others to offer suggestions that patients can then bring to their doctors in-person to help expedite the time to find a correct diagnosis.\u00a0 Launched in 2013, CrowdMed has already helped more than 2,000 patients get closer to finding the right diagnosis.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patients log on to the site, complete a set of questions about their health (symptoms, medical history etc.), and then anonymously upload their records and test results so they can be examined by CrowdMed\u2019s medical detectives.\u00a0 These medical detectives include<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

not only verified medical professionals like physicians, psychologists, and dentists, but also people who\u2019ve struggled with illness themselves and healthcare aficionados.\u00a0 72% of the medical specialists work in or study medicine and represent 11 countries.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n

Then, in an online chatroom and through correspondence with the patient, the medical detectives collaborate to come up with diagnoses.\u00a0 Every case is moderated by a licensed physician. \u00a0Next, taking into account each detective\u2019s previous successes with diagnoses, CrowdMed\u2019s proprietary algorithm predicts how accurate their suggestions are likely to be and ranks the suggestions. \u00a0Finally, the patient receives a detailed report containing the highest-ranked suggestions, which he \/ she takes to their doctor in-person.\u00a0 Liability issues are sidestepped because patients are not officially diagnosed or treated \u2013 suggestions generated must be independently verified by the patient with a doctor in-person.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

How is value created and captured?\u00a0 How are participants incentivized?<\/strong><\/p>\n

CrowdMed creates value for all its stakeholders \u2013 patients, medical detectives, and the healthcare system.<\/p>\n

For patients, CrowdMed creates value by reducing the time to find the right diagnosis, which results in lower overall healthcare costs as well.\u00a0 For \"\"<\/a>example, before joining CrowdMed, the average patient is unwell for over seven years, has consulted over eight different doctors, and has medical bills of $68,000.\u00a0 After submitting their case on CrowdMed, patients typically receive the most viable suggestion within two months. [4]<\/a><\/p>\n

Research shows that 75% of the time, CrowdMed\u2019s detectives get a person\u2019s diagnosis right. \u00a0Using the site also results in 28% lesser medical costs, 32% fewer trips to specialists, and 45% fewer high-cost medical procedures.[5]<\/a>\u00a0 Another study found that after CrowdMed detectives resolved a case, the number of patient healthcare visits by dropped by nearly 50% and their average medical costs went down by about $200 per month.[6]<\/a>\u00a0 Therefore, patients are incentivized to participate by offering what will hopefully be the right diagnosis, faster, and with lower overall healthcare costs.<\/p>\n

For medical detectives, value is created from the cash they can earn from solving a case correctly and the intellectual challenge of solving complex cases.\u00a0 They can earn up to $1,000 per case (sometimes more) from patients for suggesting the right diagnosis, i.e., the diagnosis that the patient\u2019s in-person doctor signs off on.[7]<\/a>\u00a0 Therefore, medical detectives are incentivized to participate through cash rewards.\u00a0 Additionally, CrowdMed also offers them the intellectual challenge of solving complex cases and the opportunity to expand and maintain their diagnostic skills. [8]<\/a><\/p>\n

Finally, for CrowdMed, revenue comes from the subscription fees that patients pay per month to list their cases on the platform and 10% commission of the cash rewards that patients pay to the medical detectives who got the diagnosis right.[9]<\/a>\u00a0 Patients pay fees of up to $749 per month (Standard $149\/month, Premium $299\/month, and Elite $749\/month) to list their case \u2013 higher fees buy higher-ranked detectives working on the case.[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

The future ahead \u2013 challenges and growth opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n

CrowdMed\u2019s biggest challenge is getting providers to take their diagnoses seriously.\u00a0 The patient can face resistance from providers to accept or even discuss CrowdMed\u2019s output, making the patient\u2019s efforts and money spent in vain.\u00a0 While a second or a third opinion can help a patient find a receptive provider, CrowdMed should market its past successes more to build credibility with providers.<\/p>\n

CrowdMed\u2019s largest growth opportunity lies with insurers.\u00a0 Given that its model lowers overall healthcare costs, it is of immense value for insurers, who can choose to reimburse for a CrowdMed analysis for those patients who are finding it hard to get diagnosed.\u00a0 CrowdMed currently has pilot programs underway with four insurance firms to explore this.<\/p>\n

I personally hope that CrowdMed succeeds \u2013 if we can profitably leverage the collective intelligence of crowds to solve medical problems and lower healthcare costs, the world would be a better place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References:<\/p>\n

<\/a>[1]<\/a> Crowdsourced Medicine Is Transforming the Diagnosis of Rare Disorders, NBC News, Christina Couch, Mar 6 2017, https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/storyline\/the-big-questions\/how-crowdsourcing-transforming-diagnosis-rare-disorders-n728306<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/a> CrowdMed website, https:\/\/www.crowdmed.com\/faqs<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/a> Patients with Rare Diseases Turning to Online Medical Detectives for Help, Healthline, Stephanie Booth, Mar 19 2018, https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/patients-with-rare-diseases-turning-to-online-medical-detectives#4<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/a> Patients with Rare Diseases Turning to Online Medical Detectives for Help, Healthline, Stephanie Booth, Mar 19 2018, https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/patients-with-rare-diseases-turning-to-online-medical-detectives#4<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

[5]\u00a0<\/a>Patients with Rare Diseases Turning to Online Medical Detectives for Help, Healthline, Stephanie Booth, Mar 19 2018, https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/patients-with-rare-diseas<\/a>es-turning-to-online-medical-detectives#4<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Crowdsourced Medicine Is Transforming the Diagnosis of Rare Disorders, NBC News, Christina Couch, Mar 6 2017, https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/storyline\/the-big-questions\/how-crowdsourcing-transforming-diagnosis-rare-disorders-n728306<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]\u00a0<\/a><\/a>CrowdMed website, https:\/\/www.crowdmed.com\/faqs<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> CrowdMed, Figure 1 work together to engage doctors, solve medical mysteries , Mobihealthnews, Jonah Comstock, July 24 2017, http:\/\/www.mobihealthnews.com\/content\/crowdmed-figure-1-work-together-engage-doctors-solve-medical-mysteries<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/a> CrowdMed website, https:\/\/www.crowdmed.com\/faqs<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/a> Crowdsourced Medicine Is Transforming the Diagnosis of Rare Disorders, NBC News, Christina Couch, Mar 6 2017, https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/storyline\/the-big-questions\/how-crowdsourcing-transforming-diagnosis-rare-disorders-n728306<\/a>, accessed Mar 26 2018<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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