San Diego Area Playing Key Role in Wireless Health Care Innovation
San Diego County is fast becoming the hub of the emerging wireless health care industry, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Duane Roth, CEO of not-for-profit group Connect San Diego, estimates that there are about 90 to 100 wireless health care startup companies in the region.
The growth of wireless health care industry is being driven in large part by pressure from consumers and policymakers to lower health care delivery costs and improve patient outcomes.  Â
Joe Panetta, CEO of local industry group BioCom, said San Diego's large concentration of wireless health firms is not surprising. He said, "It's the perfect mix of biotech, electronics, telecom, life sciences, plus we have the academic and private research institutions."
West Wireless Health Institute
In 2009, telecommunication and telemarketing entrepreneurs Gary and Mary West donated $45 million to create the not-for-profit West Wireless Health Institute in La Jolla.
The center aims to jumpstart the development and use of wireless technology in medicine to help lower health care costs. An additional $20 million was donated in May to help accelerate product development (Darcé, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/23).
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