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Emerging entrepreneurs have heard this saying repeatedly: “If you don’t achieve success, attempt, attempt again.”
However, Jeff Arnold advocates for a different sentiment:
“If you lack enthusiasm for it, discover something that ignites your passion.”
Enhancing health care accessibility drives Arnold, the founder and CEO of digital health organization Sharecare, and he envisions that enthusiasm remaining steadfast.
Arnold AB ’18 has launched multiple initiatives that have gained widespread recognition. His career milestones include establishing WebMD and developing HowStuffWorks, a premier online platform for elucidating a vast array of topics for users. He also acquired the Mobil Travel Guide and evolved it into the global Forbes Travel Guide, where he continues to serve as chairman.
The Dunwoody native was not always assured in presenting his next major idea; all credit goes to the University of Georgia, where he majored in speech communications.
“I used to fear speaking in public, so my degree became a foundation for understanding how to take a subject, dissect it, and then convey that to others to achieve an objective,” he explains. “To essentially apply that to any context, whether it’s nurturing a family, launching a venture, the University of Georgia equipped me with that.”
Visitors can reflect on this when they arrive at Sharecare’s headquarters in Atlanta and encounter a massive, 100-pound wooden ‘G’ greeting guests (and the many UGA alumni at Sharecare) on the sixth floor. Although Arnold interrupted his education just a few credits shy of graduation to chase a career opportunity in the pharmaceutical sector, UGA remained a consistent priority for him until he finished his degree three decades later.
“There’s a profound sense of purpose and community at UGA,” Arnold states. “I recount all the achievements in my career, but there have been countless setbacks along the way that didn’t pan out. UGA was transformative and enabled me to conquer fears, take chances, and think expansively.”
Discovering the Digital Pulse
It’s fortunate that Arnold became comfortable voicing his thoughts. In 1994, he conceived an idea that would significantly enhance the quality of life for millions. By merging emerging technology with a focus on fostering meaningful customer interactions, Arnold founded Quality Diagnostic Services (QDS), a firm dedicated to transforming EKGs. Individuals facing cardiac issues outside a doctor’s office could utilize a compact, credit card-shaped device and place it on their chest to capture their arrhythmia episode. QDS would then relay this information to the doctor’s office in real-time.
“It’s akin to taking your vehicle to a mechanic and saying, ‘My vehicle is making a sound,’ but then it remains silent at the shop,” Arnold explains. “The fascinating aspect, looking back now, is that it represented telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, which only gained traction recently, but we were implementing it in 1994.”
For Arnold, the core mission has always been utilizing media, data, and technology to ensure health care is accessible to everyone. This vision inspired the iconic WebMD, the initial source of health information during the early days of the internet. In 1998, Arnold posed the question, “What if health had a homepage?”
Since then, WebMD has become synonymous with seeking knowledge on healthcare, illnesses, and personal well-being.
Click to Heal
Consumers may now take for granted their ability to discover medical answers with a simple touch, yet Arnold maintains that the opportunities for accessible health care are limitless.
Sharecare, a digital health management platform, acts as if one has their medical history and tailored suggestions for health improvements readily available in their pocket. It has existed for over a decade, but Arnold continuously stretches the limits of its potential, particularly with artificial intelligence. Once the challenge of accessibility is solved for one individual, it can be replicated for many.
“This concept of trust is extremely significant, and the notion of scale holds considerable weight,” he states. “How can we ensure universal access to knowledge and resources to facilitate better and simpler choices? I will persist in this mission of consumer empowerment and enhancing health care—because I genuinely believe it is feasible. And it’s my passion.”
The article Jeff Arnold: Health Care’s Homepage first appeared on UGA Today.
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