Tech angel investor, philanthropist and astronaut-in-training Esther Dyson and her HICCup (Health Initiative Coordinating Council) team have picked the five model communities with populations less than 100,000 on what is now dubbed ‘The Way to Wellville’. They are: Muskegon, Michigan; Lake County, California; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Clatsop County, Oregon; and Niagara Falls, New York. Each of the towns will spend between (more…)
Finding ‘The Way to Wellville’
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Esther-Dyson-Road-to-Wellville.png” thumb_width=”170″ /]Here’s the challenge set up by tech angel investor (EDventure Holdings), philanthropist and astronaut-in-training Esther Dyson and her team at the interestingly named HICCup (Health Initiative Coordinating Council): set up five communities of up to 100,000 people to see which one can achieve the greatest improvement in health and vitality over five years. The winner receives an award of up to $5 million. Like a startup, each community sets its own plans, pitches promising health initiatives to funders, negotiates with suppliers and measures impact; HICCup acts like a board of advisors. According to Ms Dyson, “The motivation is not to help these nice people in five cities to have better lives. It’s to prove a business model and to generate evidence and facts.” Some factors might be to start school later so children can have more sleep, or working with supermarkets to stock healthier foods and study shopping/buying patterns. But ‘The Way to Wellville’ starts ASAP; community applications deadline is 23 May and from the probable ten picked in June, a site visit to seven or eight to pick the Final Five . HICCup website, announcement on HICCup blog, Wall Street Journal article (PDF-subscription content), HIT Consultant article by Fard Johnmar of Enspektos/DHPV 2014.
Previously in TTA: an architect’s vision of ‘wellness districts’ in rural areas
Marcus Agius, ex-Barclays chair, joins government consultant PA Consulting
Our UK readers have undoubtedly noted the announcement yesterday that former Barclays chairman Marcus Agius has joined employee-owned management consultancy PA Consulting Group as Non-Executive Chairman starting 1 January, after the retirement of long-time Executive Chairman Jon Moynihan. This is one of several changes at the top including the retirement of board members Victor Halberstad (who according to The Times recruited Mr. Agius), Lady Judge and Martin Stapleton. Of the three additions, the most interesting is Esther Dyson, well known for her role in the early days of the internet and now best known as a space, healthcare and IT start-up investor and board member. Her position as founder of the Health Initiative Coordinating Council (HICCup) may signal further reach of PA Consulting’s healthcare sector. According to the FT, one of their largest clients is the British Government–they are finalists in a purchasing bid for the Ministry of Defence–and has extensive experience with the NHS and what’s termed ‘service change’ as made clear on their website. Also Telegraph, PA press release.
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