New West Wireless CEO promotes innovation, outcomes research

Ten months after its founding, the West Wireless Health Institute has a leader. The La Jolla, Calif.-based research and advocacy organization has hired former Johnson & Johnson executive Donald Casey as its first CEO. After less than two weeks on the job, Casey is completely sold on the idea of wireless technologies in healthcare.

"We fundamentally believe that wireless technology has the potential to be a game changer," Casey tells FierceMobileHealthcare. And he knew that after just half an hour of talking to institute founders Gary and Mary West, who have committed $45 million toward building the organization into a leader in this emerging sector of healthcare.

Casey says the WWHI will "innovate and advocate" for policies that enable investment in wireless technologies and help accelerate products to market, though it will not be a lobbying organization. The institute will have three primary goals: to demonstrate how wireless technology can improve outcomes, with an eye on changing reimbursement policies; to study how to improve the regulatory environment for technology developers; and, to "innovate, validate and advocate," as Casey puts it.

"We're in the very nascent stage of that," Casey says of the latter.

The institute already has assembled a staff of scientists and business specialists to aid in its mission. "We will provide everything from basic advice to technical expertise," Casey explains.

The new CEO says to expect news about a series of partnerships with industry players by early May. 

For more about Casey and the institute:
- read this West Wireless Health Institute press release
- watch this video featuring Casey

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