Finding the hack

Earlier this year, a great book came out by Marcus Wohlsen called Biopunk.  It was a collection of stories of biologists and bioengineers hacking the science of life.  It amounted to these talented individuals finding clever and cheap solutions to various problems (such as seeing whether local milk had a dangerous contamination). 

This type of biology called DIY or Do It Yourself Biology is becoming increasingly popular.  It is analogous with the early 90s when cell phones were being introduced in mass: Expensive at first, but then came down in price.  This price drop, while had many factors, reflected a change of standard of living.  It reflected the fact that people expected to be able to contact each other: No matter where you were, you could be contacted within seconds.  This idea has transcended mere communication.  We now have changed our ideals about our health and how it is not only doctors and healthcare provider's responsibility, but our own.

Now more than ever, we need to research and take care of our self.  Social media has even gone so far as to be able to link us to people with similar stomach types and how to best deal with those various bacteria that identify us to other members of society. 

The point of all of this is that with rising healthcare costs, we need to find alternative and cost effective ways to stay healthy.  Thanks to @pascal_biotech for posting this:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/162/health-industry-smartphones-tablets

Researchers are now working within our current arsenal to bring mHealth or "mobile health".  It is through cost effective "hacks" such as mobile applications that our country can reduce its healthcare costs and we can bring healthcare to countries that aren't financial juggernaughts.  It is only through hacks and alternative innovation such as this that we can bring healthcare to the ever scaling masses.