Employee Spotlight – Amwell

Name: Ian Ives

Title: Visual Design Manager

Start Date: December 27, 2016

What attracted you to Amwell?

Amwell is changing the way we think about healthcare – in a revolutionary way – and I’m excited to be a part of it! For the first time, anyone with a mobile device or computer can have access to high quality care at a fraction of the cost of a traditional in-person doctor visit. Additionally, doctors can collaborate peer-to-peer on the Amwell platform using multiway video visits – even bringing patients into the visits to provide the best possible care. As a visual designer, I’m on the team that creates the graphics, user-interface, and user-experience of a virtual doctor’s visit, as well as designs strategic presentations for investors, partners and clients.

What were you doing before you came to Amwell?

Before coming to Amwell, I worked as a communications designer at a financial firm. My job involved creating and designing presentations for the CEO, executive team and strategic clients. I would often meet and consult with presenters to help “bring their presentation to life,” and ensure their message and story were clear. I also worked on various mobile app mock-ups, digital design, and print design for posters, signage, awards, brochures, logos, etc.

What does a day in the life of a visual design manager at Amwell look like?

As a visual designer at Amwell, I work closely with the Corporate Development team to create presentations that not only visually dazzle our clients and strategic partners, but also provide critical information about telehealth in an easy-to-understand, digestible way. Since telehealth can have a broad range of use cases across the healthcare industry, it’s important for us to communicate our vision for the future of telehealth as clearly and succinctly as possible.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I was born and raised just outside of Boston (in the suburb of Newton), which means I’m an addict for all things Patriots and Red Sox. My wife and I are big foodies, so we’re constantly looking for new restaurants off the beaten path. We love to travel and explore new, exotic locations around the world – although nothing beats a relaxing day at the beach, with a Corona and lime in hand. I’ve gotten into boxing the past few years, and love it for the workout and stress relief. I still try to play pick-up lacrosse and soccer games whenever I can.

Have you used Amwell’s direct-to-consumer app, Amwell?

My dad and I used the app after his knee replacement. He was worried because he could feel – and hear – an uncomfortable “clicking” in his knee when he tried to walk. Since it was the weekend, and since he was still recovering from the surgery, we wanted to avoid traveling to the hospital for an in-person visit. The Amwell app was perfect for this situation. He loved the doctor, and found out the “clicking” was completely normal, and even got exercise tips on how to strengthen his knee.

What are your thoughts on the ways healthcare is changing and what we can expect to see in the future?

I believe telehealth will become deeply embedded into our everyday lives. New consumer healthcare devices that are being released can display your health data on your mobile phone, and integrate seamlessly into your daily life. In the not-so-distant future, data from these healthcare devices could alert us to the risk of an imminent heart attack, a genetic predisposition to diseases, and more! The possibilities are endless, and the technology needed for this kind of care is available today, which is why this is such an exciting time in the healthcare industry.

When you talk about telehealth and your role here with friends and family, what do you say?

I tell my friends and family that I’m designing the future of healthcare. I explain to them the Amwell suite of products, how they work, and how they benefit everyone who uses them. The response I get is always a unanimous, “Of course! That’s so obvious, why isn’t telehealth the universal standard of healthcare?” I tell them not to worry, it will be soon! I believe the hallmark of a revolutionary idea is how “obvious” it seems at first. When it’s finally implemented and becomes a staple in daily life, those same people will be saying, “How did we ever live without this?”