Emerging entrepreneurs have frequently absorbed this adage: “If you fail, keep trying.”
However, Jeff Arnold favors a contrasting sentiment:
“If you aren’t enthusiastic about it, seek something that ignites your passion.”
Enhancing health care accessibility drives Arnold, the founder and CEO of the digital health firm Sharecare, and he perceives that enthusiasm as unwavering.
Arnold AB ’18 has established multiple enterprises that have turned into recognized names. Notable achievements include the founding of WebMD and the development of HowStuffWorks, a prominent online platform for elucidating a wide array of topics for users. He also acquired the Mobil Travel Guide and reinvented it into the global Forbes Travel Guide, where he continues to hold the chairmanship.
The Dunwoody native was not always assured in presenting his next innovative concept; much of that comes from the University of Georgia, where he pursued studies in speech communications.
“I used to be nervous about public speaking, so my major helped me build the skills to take a topic, dissect it, and express that for others to achieve a certain goal,” he reflects. “To basically harness that for anything, whether nurturing a family or launching a business, the University of Georgia provided me with all that.”
Visitors can be reminded of that when they stop by Sharecare’s headquarters in Atlanta and encounter a massive, 100-pound wooden ‘G’ greeting guests (and Sharecare’s numerous UGA alumni) on the sixth floor. Although Arnold halted his studies just a few credits short of completion to chase a job opportunity in the pharmaceutical sector, UGA remained a significant focus for him until he finalized his degree three decades later.
“There is an undeniable sense of purpose and community at UGA,” Arnold states. “I recount all the achievements in my career, but there have been countless instances along the journey that were not successful. UGA transformed me and enabled me to confront fears, embrace risks, and think ambitiously.”
Discovering the Digital Pulse
It’s fortunate Arnold grew comfortable voicing his thoughts. Because in 1994, he conceived an idea that would significantly enhance the quality of life for countless individuals. By fusing cutting-edge technology with a focus on cultivating meaningful customer connections, Arnold established Quality Diagnostic Services (QDS), a firm dedicated to transforming EKGs. Those with cardiac concerns outside a doctor’s office could utilize a compact, credit card-sized device, pressing it to their chest to capture their arrhythmia episode. QDS would then relay that information to the physician’s office in real-time.
“It’s akin to taking your vehicle to a mechanic and stating, ‘My car is making a sound,’ but then it remains silent at the shop,” Arnold explains. “The fascinating aspect in retrospect is that it was telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, concepts that only gained popularity recently, yet we were already implementing them in 1994.”
That has always been Arnold’s goal—leveraging media, data, and technology to facilitate accessible health care for everyone. This vision inspired the iconic WebMD, the pioneering source for health information during the early internet era. In 1998, Arnold posed the question, “What if health had a homepage?”
Since then, WebMD has become synonymous with accessing information about medicine, illnesses, and overall wellness.
Click to Cure
Consumers may now take for granted the ability to find medical responses at the tap of a screen, but Arnold envisions limitless potential for accessible health care.
Sharecare, a digital health management platform, functions like having your medical records and customized recommendations for better health in your pocket. It has existed for over a decade, but Arnold consistently challenges the limits of its capabilities, including developments in artificial intelligence. And once you address the issue of accessibility for one, you can extend it to all.
“The concept of trust is crucial, and scalability is equally vital,” he emphasizes. “How do we ensure universal access to knowledge and resources, empowering more informed and simpler decisions? I will persist in this journey of consumer empowerment and enhancing health care—because I firmly believe it is achievable. And it’s my passion.”
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