Following two groundbreaking hackathons in the past couple of years, Siriraj Hospital is about to break new ground yet again. This time, they are teaming up with MIT Hacking Medicine, a vibrant student-led initiative from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since its inception in 2010, MIT Hacking Medicine has been a powerhouse, launching over 100 companies! Now, their combined forces promise to make the upcoming third edition of Siriraj’s annual hackathon an event to remember.
The upcoming “Siriraj x MIT Hacking Medicine” hackathon will zero in on a hot topic: “Scaling Aged Care in Developing Countries.” Mark your calendars—this fabulous event kicks off with a conference on October 29, 2024, followed by a high-energy, three-day hackathon from November 1-3, 2024. And guess what? For the first time ever, this Southeast Asian hackathon is open to participants from all walks of life. This will be an unprecedented gathering focused on crafting trailblazing healthcare solutions for the ageing population.
You can apply until the end of August by visiting www.sirirajxmithackmed.com. Winners will snag incredible opportunities for expert mentorship and pitch their revolutionary ideas to investors at MIT’s annual event. Yes, you heard that right! This could be your ticket to transforming innovative ideas into tangible healthcare solutions, particularly aimed at supporting the ageing population in developing countries.
So, who are the masterminds behind this epic event? Meet Prof. Zen Chu, the Director of the MIT Hacking Medicine Initiative and Harvard-MIT Health Sciences & Technology Program; Prof. Apichat Asavamongkolkul, MD, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University; and Prof. Dr. Yongyut Sirivatanauksorn, Director of Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.
The spotlight on aged care is both timely and critical for Thailand and many other nations. “Thailand has transitioned into an ageing society faster than we anticipated,” observed Prof. Apichat Asavamongkolkul. “In the past 3-4 years, our death rate has outpaced the birth rate. Our outpatient department at Siriraj Hospital now sees three times more elderly patients than younger ones. Many of them are grappling with non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. We need to improve health literacy among the elderly and their caregivers to prevent serious illnesses and encourage young adults to take health precautions before retirement.”
Prof. Dr. Yongyut Sirivatanauksorn added, “In 2022 and 2023, Siriraj successfully hosted hackathons with participants predominantly from the medical field. This year, we are expanding our reach by inviting participants from all disciplines and partnering with MIT, which brings nearly 15 years of hackathon experience to the table. True innovation thrives on diverse inputs—from engineering and architecture to business. We aim to promote cross-sector collaboration to develop impactful solutions.”
Prof. Yongyut also emphasized, “Siriraj aims to elevate medicine hackathons in Thailand to an international stage. This event serves as an invaluable platform for students and professionals from various backgrounds to address the pressing challenges of ageing societies. Our hope is that some of these revolutionary ideas will evolve into real-world businesses with significant societal impact.”
The event’s philosophy was beautifully summarized by Prof. Zen Chu: “Participants should have fun, meet new people, and open their minds to different ideas. Flexibility is crucial for innovation. With the right mix of cognitive diversity, experience, and a patient-centered focus, groundbreaking solutions can emerge. At MIT, we encourage creativity from both clinical and business angles. We hope this event will serve as a launching pad to bring those innovative ideas to life.”
Top three teams will earn the coveted golden tickets to pitch their concepts at MIT’s annual event, with all travel and accommodation expenses covered. How cool is that?
Don’t miss out on this golden opportunity. For more information and to apply, visit www.sirirajxmithackmed.com. Remember, applications close at the end of August. Excited? We sure are!
This event sounds absolutely amazing! Combining Siriraj’s expertise with MIT’s innovation should bring forth groundbreaking solutions for aged care.
Sure, but I doubt they’ll come up with anything truly useful. Hackathons often produce a lot of hype without real, sustainable solutions.
I can understand the skepticism, but haven’t you seen some of the past innovations from these events? They have led to some real-world applications.
Right, innovation often needs an incubator, and hackathons provide that space. They shouldn’t be dismissed.
I’m thrilled that they’re focusing on developing countries. The aged care issue there is often ignored.
I wish more hackathons focused on real-world issues like this. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Yeah, but don’t you think they’re just doing this for publicity? MIT and Siriraj get great press out of this.
Even if it boosts their profiles, if it leads to better care for the elderly, isn’t that a win-win?
Can’t deny good publicity can drive more resources to these problems. That’s not necessarily bad.
Exactly! The more attention this issue gets, the better. It’s an urgent need.
Why not focus on preventing the diseases in the first place? Seems like a reactive approach rather than proactive.
Both approaches are important. It’s not either-or, it’s both-and.
Proactive health measures are important, but when dealing with elderly care, reactive solutions are essential too.
True, but if we put more effort into prevention, maybe the number of elderly patients would decrease significantly in the first place.
It’s interesting to open the event to non-medical participants. I wonder what kind of crazy ideas might come out of this.
That’s the point! Diverse teams generate innovative solutions. Engineers might see the problem differently than doctors.
I hope they find some out-of-the-box solutions. The aged care sector really needs some creativity.
Absolutely, fresh perspectives can be game-changers.
What an amazing opportunity for students and professionals. Who wouldn’t want to pitch their ideas at MIT?
I think aged care might be one of the biggest challenges we face globally. Kudos to Siriraj and MIT for tackling this head-on!
I hope they also focus on improving health literacy among the elderly as mentioned. Education can make a huge difference.
Yes! Informed patients and caregivers can better manage their health, reducing hospital visits.
Exactly, and it empowers them to live more independently.
Always skeptical when business gets involved with healthcare. Profit motives can skew the focus.
But without business investment, many of these solutions wouldn’t have the resources to scale.
True, the right balance is crucial. Business can drive innovation but needs ethical oversight.
Looking forward to seeing the results of this collaboration. The involvement of MIT is particularly promising.
MIT’s track record with hackathons is impressive. High hopes for this one!
It’s fantastic that they’re addressing aged care in developing countries. The need there is so often overlooked.
Can’t wait for the event. The cross-sector collaboration sounds like it could lead to some truly innovative solutions.
Opening the hackathon to people from all disciplines was a smart move. Solutions need diverse viewpoints.
I love the idea but hope they also address the accessibility of these solutions in the real world. Often, they’re not affordable for all.
Kudos to Siriraj and MIT. Hopefully, this can become a model for similar initiatives worldwide.