Leadership CONNECT: 14-NOV-2024 (Y24W47)

A Bit of Personal Background

About ten years ago, I had the opportunity to work with one of the largest HMOs in the world, helping to build what we eventually called the “digital factory.” With over a million customers, the CEO was determined to invest twice as much in digital and see 10-fold gains. His leadership was successful, especially during the Coronavirus era when the digital investment allowed the HMO to respond swiftly to changing conditions.

Later, I worked with a global medical device company, pursuing similar questions: The CEO asked How can digital tools create a competitive edge in selling products and serving customers through data-driven approaches? She was firm and gentle and could double the firm’s value.

More recently, I have collaborated with two of the top ten pharmaceutical companies on innovation and digital health initiatives, watching firsthand how digital technology affects every part of the pharmaceutical value chain.

As I went through these experiences, I also got older. With occasional headaches, shoulder issues (ouch!), and nagging reminders that the body is, in fact, a machine that needs maintenance. Nothing debilitating, but enough to realize how central health becomes as we age.

These diverse experiences have given me a unique perspective on digital health as a professional and a customer.

I can tell you, from both sides, that change is here. Even more so, the pace of change is increasing. The merge of digital (and recently AI) and healthcare creates many opportunities and challenges.

Welcome Health 3.0

I first heard about “Health 3.0” in Dr. Peter Attia’s audiobook, Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, published in 2023. The idea is simple: Health 3.0 is about long-term well-being rather than solving acute medical crises. If Health 1.0 was the era of pre-scientific remedies (see above beak mask), and Health 2.0 focused on emergency care and immediate interventions, Health 3.0 is about prevention, personalization, and proactive care.

Building on this idea, here are my five key trends shaping Health 3.0 for 2025, both for individuals and for the healthcare professionals:

1. From Short-Term Care to Long-Term Prevention — The focus is shifting from solving immediate problems to preventing them from occurring in the first place.
2. From External Responsibility to Personal Ownership — Healthcare is moving away from being something others do for you. Individuals are (and should be) taking greater control of their health journeys.
3. From Disjoint Players to Value-Based HMOs — Instead of fragmenting healthcare across providers, insurers, and facilities (and the utterly messed-up situation in the US), there’s a move toward more integrated, value-based care models. Value-based care is when one entity serves you for your entire life and is motivated to keep you healthy instead of charging you when you are sick.
4. From System Care to Human Care — We’re shifting from focusing purely on healthcare systems’ efficiency to the overall human experience, emphasizing empathy and quality of life. In simple terms, as with placebo and nocebo, the human mind controls our health.
5. From a Bit of Digital to a Byte of Digital — Digital health is no longer a minor add-on. It’s becoming central to healthcare—AI, apps, and data analytics drive more personalized and effective treatments and prevention.

Whether you’re a patient or a professional, understanding these shifts can help you navigate—and thrive—in the age of Health 3.0.

What are your top trends? Let me know.

(*) Note: if you asked yourself why this image was chosen it is due to the iconic beak mask worn by plague doctors emerged during the 17th century as a part of protective clothing designed to shield physicians from the bubonic plague. The beak-like structure of the mask was filled with aromatic substances such as dried flowers, herbs, spices, or even vinegar-soaked sponges. This design was based on the miasma theory, which suggested that diseases were spread through “bad air” or harmful odors. The beak acted as a filter, believed to purify the air before it reached the doctor’s nose and mouth, offering a rudimentary form of protection against the disease.

The entire outfit, including the wide-brimmed hat, gloves, and long cloak, was crafted to minimize skin exposure and prevent direct contact with infected individuals. The eerie appearance of the plague doctors became a symbol of fear and death, as their presence often signaled a worsening epidemic. While the effectiveness of the beak mask against actual disease transmission was limited, it demonstrated an early attempt at understanding and mitigating contagion in an era of limited medical knowledge.

See more: 

1. Join LinkedIn Group MindLi Digital Health Group, where we exchange ideas, news, and insights.
2. Audio – part one of the book “Outlive” – Listen here 
3. The book “Outlive” on Amazon from our recommended book list – See here