NEW ORLEANS, LA – July 30, 2015 – Ochsner Health System, GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE), and The Idea Village have launched today the “Wear Your Health” challenge. This challenge seeks to identify wearable technology concepts and mobile application solutions that can transform healthcare outcomes by addressing behavior management in patients with chronic disease. Starting today, individuals interested in participating can submit their idea(s) at here until September 15th at 5pm Central.*

Chronic diseases account for 7 out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. Totaling more than 80 percent of total healthcare costs, the existing U.S. care delivery model is poorly constructed to help manage this issue.[i] The “Wear Your Health” challenge is part of the multi-year initiative Ochsner, GE Healthcare, and The Idea Village launched in March 2015 to address the healthcare and lifestyle issues affecting a large part of the U.S. population.

The “Wear Your Health” challenge seeks to engage entrepreneurs and innovators across the U.S. –with a special focus on the local New Orleans entrepreneurial community – to think about the best ways to address the evolving needs of healthcare, encourage lifestyle modifications, and help impact individual health

“Chronic disease is a particularly serious health and community concern in Louisiana, which is ranked fifth in the nation for the highest rates of diabetes and heart disease, and fourth in the nation for the highest rates of cancer and high blood pressure,” said Richard Milani, M.D. Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Ochsner Health System. “This challenge aligns with our work underway today through innovationOchsner or iO to identify the behaviors that drive improved wellness and empower patients to take control of their health. The ideas generated through this challenge can provide new solutions to address these issues in our community but also extend these findings to patients across the U.S.”

Phase 1 of the challenge, which kicks off today, will identify up to 10 winners for a cumulative prize pool of $10,000 USD. The winners of Phase 1 will then be eligible to participate in Phase 2, where 3 finalists will receive additional development funding from a discretionary prize pool of $15,000 USD. The overall winner will be announced at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, March 11-18, 2016.

“In recent years, wearables have been disrupting the healthcare industry. The ability to manage patient behavior through wearables ultimately allows for a more personalized patient experience and treatment plan,” said Brad Jergenson, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. & Canada at GE Healthcare. “The ‘Wear Your Health’ challenge is a great opportunity to bring not only prototypes, but ideas, to life. The goal is to drive the future of chronic disease management by empowering patients to lead healthy lifestyles through connectivity and technology, which aligns with GE Healthcare’s overall mission to provide quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare to all.”

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