Ty Vachon

Biography

  Data and information technology can improve health care. Patients CAN receive higher quality, more efficient and cost effective healthcare. Profit driven industries have utilized data mining for decades and health care is slowly embracing the value of sifting through the vast amounts of collected information. My experience as a primary care doctor prior to radiology has provided a great deal of insight in workflow associated with the integration of those fields. My many years as a high school teacher before medicine continually reminds me to look at the whole picture and how can I make the biggest impact with my skill set. I have been influenced by an economics slant sparked by recent popular literature such as Supercrunchers, Nudge, Crowdsourcing, Tipping Point, and Freakonomics. There are powerful concepts in various stages of development to include machine learning, clinician decision support (computer programs that help doctors order the right labs, CT scans, MRI's and ask all of the right questions), bidirectional electronic medical records (think online banking but with your doctor to check labs, radiology reports, make appointments, send home blood pressure or monthly weight from bluetooth enabled products), Apple Health Kit and genetically designed pharmaceuticals.  As a result of the exponential incorporation of technology and subsequent enormous amount of data that is generated and stored, the field of informatics is developing. Useful examples are already in place: curetogether.com or patientslikeme.com With these influences, I have started many projects at my current hospital identifying useful data trends for leadership action and ultimately improved patient care.  

Research Interest

  Mobile health content curator Machine learning Artificial Intelligence futurist Mental health advocate Domain Expert