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Inaugural 'Health Hackathon' Takes Place In Center City

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An innovative health forum Saturday allowed people from various fields to collaborate on new ideas at Thomas Jefferson University in Center City.

The forum was co-sponsored by Thomas Jefferson University and the Independence Blue Cross.

Donna Gentile-O'Donnell with the university says health care professionals partnered with designers, nurses, engineers and students at their first ever Health Hackathon:

"This is about hacking into new ideas, hacking into new possibilities."

During the first stage, attendees brainstormed health problems.

"And teams are forming around those problems, to try to come up with solutions," says Gentile-O'Donnell.

"We're working right now on a necklace that tracks vitals for asthma patients," says medical student Bill Brooks.

His team's idea came from another member Jessica London, who was hospitalized over 50 times for asthma before age 10.

"A lot of the reason I was hospitalized was because I couldn't get to my medication quickly," she tells KYW Newsradio. "Other people didn't notice I was having a problem and I was too shy, I didn't want to disrupt people."

Those with the best hacks win cash and prizes.

 

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