Samsung North America CEO: Health data must connect wellness and clinical care

Yoonie Joung, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, has outlined a vision for the future of healthcare, where technology must bridge the previously separate worlds of consumer wellness and clinical healthcare.

According to Joung, the consumer technology industry should focus on providing continuity and control over an individual's health. Currently, wellness is often associated with apps and wearables, while actual healthcare takes place in doctor's offices. Joung argues it is crucial to build a bridge between these two so that the health data accumulated daily provides context for more effective care.

A Kantar Monitor Survey found that 87% of consumers consider physical health extremely or very important, yet only 19% feel they have complete control over it. This highlights a significant gap between intention and reality. Joung believes artificial intelligence can assist with this, provided it can understand individuals over time and integrate data from various sources, such as sleep, activity, and medication.

"Health is the accumulation of daily choices, signals, routines, and relationships over time. AI can make that journey easier to understand and manage, but only if we stop treating health as disconnected categories and start building experiences that reflect how people live," Joung stated.

The use of AI must be founded on trust. Consumers need to be confident that the signals and insights they receive are accurate and meaningful, and that their information is protected and within their control.