Macadamian with Timon LeDain

VFH Episode #8

In this episode, Teri welcomes Timon LeDain, Director of Emerging Technologies at Macadamian Technologies.

Timon LeDain is the Director of Emerging Technologies at Macadamian. He has extensive experience in voice technologies and in this episode, he discusses what Macadamian is doing in the voice-first space, including 2 particular projects being produced in the innovations lab.

Key points from Timon and about Macadamian!

Macadamian is a professional user experience design and software development firm that specializes in the design and development of digital healthcare solutions.
Macadamian has its own innovation lab.
Timon sees smart speakers and voice technology as a medium with possibilities to grow.
Smart speakers are being purchased at an even faster rate than smart phones, in part due to accessibility and low cost of entry.
Currently healthcare applications for voice are largely centred around improving inefficiencies as opposed to improving care; once HIPAA compliance is addressed, this will likely change.
Macadamian has 2 major projects being developed in the innovation lab, designed to help people manage their care in their homes:
- My Diabetes Coach: working with CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) to create a voice-first experience to support teenagers who have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes:
  - This is a comprehensive solution, including glucose monitoring (and context of abnormal readings), sleep, exercise coaching, and more.
  - The skill finds out how patients are doing in management their diabetes: glucose targets, goals, advice if sick, common questions about diabetes.
  - HIPAA compliance is a challenge with this skill; currently Macadamian creates anonymized accounts on a specifically assigned Echo devices; the personal health information data is only connected back to the patient when it is back in the HIPAA compliant data storage facility.
- Health Navigator: Working with Health Navigator as a partner to create a voice-first symptom checker:
  - This skill can triage symptoms and then suggest a recommendation. e.g. see pharmacist, see family doctor, go to emergency, etc.
  - Not intended to replace 911.
  - There are no HIPAA concerns with the skill – it is not storing any personal information.