Introducing the “Your Friend in Pharma” series for 2023! This series will focus on taking complex ideas used in the pharmaceutical industry and distilling them down into digestible, easy-to-understand content. My aim is to break down the barrier between the complicated science surrounding Big Pharma and introduce the ideas and concepts to a general audience.
Introduction
In recent years, technology has rapidly advanced and has begun to play an increasingly important role in healthcare. From precision medicine & personalised healthcare, to telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, technology is transforming the way we diagnose, treat, and manage disease.
1. Precision Medicine & Personalised Healthcare
Precision Medicine & Personalised Healthcare are terms that refer to a treatment approach tailored to the individual. This means that an individual’s characteristics like their genetic makeup, lifestyle, or environment are assessed as part of the treatment, rather than based on symptoms alone.
1.1 Precision Medicine
Precision medicine is a medical model that allows treatment of disease to be tailored to the individual patient. It aims to move away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach and aims to provide unique patient care that is more accurate, effective, and efficient. This is performed by using knowledge of a patient’s genomic profile, alongside additional information such as their medical history, lifestyle, and environment to better understand a disease, and to identify the best course of treatment for that individual.
One example of a precision medicine targeted therapy is imatinib (Gleevec), a drug used to treat certain types of leukaemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Imatinib targets a specific genetic mutation that is present in these types of cancer, inhibiting the growth and spread of the cancer cells.
1.2 Personalised Healthcare
Personalised healthcare is an approach that puts the patient at the centre of the healthcare system and considers the individual’s unique needs, preferences, and values. Personalised healthcare is a holistic approach that aims to integrate patient-centred care with the latest medical advancements to provide the most effective and efficient healthcare for each patient.
One example of Personalised Healthcare is a patient has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. In traditional healthcare, the patient would be prescribed a standard treatment plan, which might include a specific medication regimen and lifestyle recommendations. But in personalised healthcare, the treatment plan would be tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the patient.
For example, the patient’s treatment plan might include a personalised diet plan, taking into account the patient’s food preferences and cultural background, as well as their specific dietary needs related to diabetes and hypertension. The patient’s treatment plan might also include an exercise program tailored to their current fitness level, any physical limitations they might have, and their personal goals.
Additionally, the patient would be involved in the treatment plan, discussing with the provider what medications they prefer and how they want to track their progress. And instead of the usual in-person visits, the patient could use telemedicine to have virtual visits with the healthcare provider and monitor their health with remote monitoring devices.
1.3 Summary: Precision Medicine & Personalised Healthcare
Both Precision Medicine & Personalised healthcare use data and technology like genomics, “big data”, and machine learning to tailor the medical treatment to the individual. By understanding a patient’s genetics, and also by understanding the patient’s unique medical history and lifestyle, doctors can develop more precise and effective treatment plans for each individual, which can result in better outcomes and fewer side effects.
Precision Medicine & Personalised Healthcare are relatively new fields, but they hold a lot of promise for the future of healthcare. While still at the early stages, they have already shown the potential to revolutionise the way we diagnose, treat, and manage disease.
2. Telemedicine & Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring are related but distinct technologies that are used to provide healthcare remotely.
2.1 Telemedicine
Telemedicine refers to the use of telecommunication and IT, such as videoconferencing, remote monitoring, and electronic medical records, to provide clinical health services remotely. Telemedicine allows patients to receive medical care from healthcare providers remotely, using communication technologies like phone, video conferencing, and mobile apps. Telemedicine is particularly useful for patients who live in remote areas, have mobility challenges, or have difficulty accessing traditional healthcare services.
2.2 Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a technology that allows healthcare providers to monitor a patient’s health status remotely and in real-time. This is usually done by giving patients medical devices, such as wearable devices or smartphones, that collect data on vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels. These devices then transmit this data to healthcare providers, who can use it to track patient’s health status and provide feedback or care. RPM can be used for patients with chronic conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to name a few.
2.3 Summary: Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring
Both Telemedicine and RPM can drastically improve patient outcomes by allowing healthcare providers to monitor patients more closely, detect problems early, and make adjustments to treatment plans quickly. They can also reduce the cost of healthcare by reducing the need for hospital visits, and they can increase access to healthcare services for people who live in remote areas or have mobility challenges.
Conclusion
To summarise, technology has been a game changer in healthcare, it has brought many advancements and innovations that have greatly improved the way we diagnose, treat, and manage diseases. From Precision Medicine and Personalised Healthcare to Telemedicine and RPM, technology has enabled us to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. As technology continues to evolve, it’ll play an even more crucial role in healthcare in the future, and we can expect to see even more advancements and breakthroughs in the coming years.