October 11, 2019
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Source/B.PHL Innovation Fest
Suzie Welsh, founder of BINTO, will explore how innovation can help improve women's health care at the B.PHL Innovation Fest.
Health care innovation is among the biggest focuses of the upcoming B.PHL Innovation Fest, which runs Oct. 15-17 at various Philadelphia locations.
From women's health to aging populations, presenters like Suzie Welsh, founder and chief executive officer of BINTO, will explore how innovation can help improve health care in the United States.
Welsh, a nurse and health care advocate, will discuss the growing shortage of women's health care providers, the troubling high maternal mortality rate in the U.S. and why more innovative solutions are needed to address gaps in women's health care.
Her presentation, dubbed "An Ounce of Prevention: The Future of Women's Health," will be held Oct. 17 at 4:50 p.m. in The Pitch Room at Independence Blue Cross.
Among the issues she'll touch on: long waiting times for obstetrics-gynecology appointments.
“About 50% of counties in the U.S. don’t have access to a practicing OB-GYN and we are the only developed country with a rising maternal mortality rate," Welsh said.
In May, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released guidelines dictating how to treat heart disease in pregnancy, which is the leading cause of U.S. maternal deaths. That's a start, Welsh said. But they're simply recommendations – not actionable plans.
“As someone practicing women’s health, I noticed a recurring issue within our larger health systems that needed to change," Welsh said. "Health is one of the last industries ready for true disruption and innovation."
Welsh left bedside nursing in 2016 to launch BINTO, a direct-to-consumer company. She said she saw it as a way to generate "true innovative change" by creating external pressure on the existing payer and provider systems.
“At BINTO, we have developed safe and effective supplements for all stages of a woman’s reproductive health that are personalized for each woman, and we also offer access via digital platform to a licensed health care platform," Welsh said. "We are meeting women where they are at, whether at home or in the office, so they don’t have to turn to Google for answers.”
Welsh said she wants to offer access to OB-GYNs without the wait times – and at an attainable price point.
"I believe Philadelphia is a great city for innovation in women’s health because we are already a health care hub and have a large talent pool here," Welsh said. "We can lead the change.”
Welsh also will address the importance of preventive medicine, and how our focusing on sick care causes health care costs to skyrocket.
B.PHL Executive Director Michelle Histand said she is excited about Welsh’s upcoming discussion.
“Welsh has a passion for women’s health and will surely lead an engaging discussion on the prognosis for women’s health care – and how we can help," Histand said. "We should all be working together to come up with innovative solutions to not only help ourselves, but to help women who don’t have the same access to care as we do. I’m certain this audience will be full of bright female minds.”
Other not-to-miss B.PHL healthcare events include:
Date: Oct. 15, 2019 at 3:40 p.m.
Location: Pitch Room, Independence Blue Cross, 1901 Market St.
Presenters from Independence Blue Cross, QUIL, Penn Medicine, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and Tandigm Health will discuss the challenges of meeting the needs of our aging population and how innovation can transform the healthcare landscape for the aging population.
Date: Oct. 16, 2019 at 10:20 a.m.
Location: The Greenhouse, Independence Blue Cross, 1901 Market St.
The Inglis Adapted Technology Program will provide a hands-on demonstration on how Android and iOS devices can give people with disabilities more freedom in their daily lives.
Date: Oct. 15, 2019 at 2:30 p.m.
Location: Excite Center, Drexel University, 3401 Market St.
This session takes a look at how the drive for improved efficiency and quality in health care has transformed both the patient and provider’s experience, especially when it comes to the use of technology.
Date: Oct. 15, 2019 at 10:20 a.m.
Location: The Canopy Room, Independence Blue Cross, 1901 Market St.
During this panel, speakers will discuss how women who are pregnant or are their children’s primary caregiver are treated in prison and address inequalities women face in our criminal justice system. In particular, they will explore the work of the Maternity Care Coalition which has been partnering with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons since 2006.
