The 2017 MedTech Boston 40 Under 40 Healthcare Innovators

29. Peter R Chai, MD MMS
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology, Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
With early goals to be a mathematician, Dr. Peter Chai discovered concepts in science, applied in the real world, had the potential to truly impact in daily lives of people. So Chai pursued a Masters of Medical Science while he was a medical student at Brown, where he learned the fundamentals of study design and technology development.

Throughout residency and fellowship, Chai has “continued to conduct studies on how we as physicians interact with technology and how we can use technology to work with patients and improve overall health.” Furthermore, talking to patients about their health got him thinking about “how we can improve and initiate care of our patients where they are most comfortable—in their homes.”

“The explosion and ubiquity of mobile devices, wearables and biosensors has enabled us to access our patients and learn about the evolution of disease in new spaces, creating novel opportunities for us to re-engage patients in their health,” he explains.

Most rewarding in his job, Dr. Chai says, is the ability to impact patients’ lives and quality of care while helping them engage with technology.