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Case Study

The right doctor for the right thing

By Carlos Cordon and Teresa Ferreiro Vilarino

14 pages

April 2016

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Reference: IMD-7-1754

Studies revealed that 60% of surgical interventions in Germany were unnecessary and could be avoided with a second opinion. Furthermore, statistics revealed significant differences in the outcomes of treatments depending on the doctor and place. But choosing the best place to be treated in Germany was becoming increasingly complicated. So, in 2012 the three founders of BetterDoc quit their jobs to set up a company aimed at helping patients find the best doctor for their needs and select the most apt treatment to maximize their chances of recovery. Once a patient’s doctor had made an initial diagnosis and recommended a particular treatment or procedure (e.g. for cancer, a hip replacement, etc.), the patient could ask BetterDoc to arrange a second opinion. First, though, BetterDoc had to collect huge amounts of data to populate the database that would allow it to identify the best medical practitioner or treatment in the country in each case. This meant scanning every single expert, hospital and clinic and processing the information. The data collected came from numerous sources. Insurance companies offered BetterDoc’s services free of charge to their customers because it helped drastically reduce treatment costs while ensuring the best outcome for patients. By using big data and placing patients at the center of its focus, BetterDoc has changed the German healthcare ecosystem.

Learning Objective

Big data is transforming all industries. The digital revolution is transforming the rules of the game. To compete, companies need to know their ecosystem because new players like BetterDoc are entering sectors that were previously inaccessible using novel business models based on providing hitherto non-existent services.

Keywords

Big Data, Business Model, Health, Healthcare, Ecosystem

Settings

Europe, Germany
BetterDoc, Healthcare
2012-2015

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

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