Reshaping Healthcare with Lived Experiences – A Conversation with Gary Ho

In this episode

Join us for an insightful conversation with Gary Ho, founder of the Gout Support Group of America and a leading advocate in patient-led research. Gary shares his journey from being medically dismissed to pioneering a movement that has significantly reshaped patient engagement. Together with Sandra Gier, Insights Lead at Merakoi, the discussion uncovers how true patient collaboration can transform healthcare research, reveal critical blind spots, and lead to meaningful, actionable outcomes.

Guest Bio

Gary Ho - Patient expert, founder of the Gout Support Group of America, and passionate advocate for patient-centric healthcare. Living with gout for over 30 years, Gary has successfully bridged the gap between patient communities and healthcare industries, turning lived experiences into impactful research and advocacy efforts.

Key Topics

• Moving from tokenism to true patient partnership
• Identifying blind spots through patient insights
• Innovative approaches beyond traditional market research
• Enhancing clinical trials through patient collaboration
• The power of community-driven healthcare solutions
• "True patient centricity isn’t about checking a box; it’s about embedding the patient voice into every stage of healthcare development."

What you need to know

1. "Patients are your co-experts, not just participants. Engage them early and continuously in your research and product development process. By truly partnering with patients, you'll gain insights that surveys and traditional market research methods simply can't provide."
2. "Real patient engagement requires proactive collaboration. Waiting until problems arise or decisions have already been made isn't enough. Be intentional about involving patient communities from the very start, ensuring their authentic experiences shape your strategic choices."
3. "Patient-led initiatives aren’t just beneficial—they’re transformative. Leveraging patient expertise doesn't only enhance research outcomes; it builds lasting trust and ensures solutions resonate deeply, ultimately improving patient outcomes and advancing healthcare innovation."

About Merakoi
At Merakoi, we believe AI should empower patients, not replace human connection in healthcare. We partner with life sciences companies, patient experts, and innovators to design more ethical, patient-driven solutions.

AI can crunch data, but it can’t replace lived experience. Need insights that actually matter? Let's chat!