“In recent years, it has become clear that the growing availability of health data and advances in genetics and technology are starting to support a shift away from the “one-size-fits-all” model for treating a condition, as we learn more about the impact of tailored medical interventions.
Let’s take one example. An area where new approaches will increasingly enable care to be managed according to an individual’s needs is screening, Dr Charles Alessi, HIMSS chief clinical officer, recently told MobiHealthNews. In the UK, the only determinant for bowel cancer screening, for one, is age. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, those aged 60 to 74 (in Scotland, screening starts at the age of 50) receive a home testing kit every two years. But bowel cancer can affect any age, as figures show that over 2,500 people under 50 are diagnosed with the disease in the UK every year, according to the Bowel Cancer UK charity. The modernisation of services, including based on the use of data now becoming available and new technologies, will open up an array of opportunities for prevention and care delivery.”