Data-driven healthcare can help us prepare now for tomorrow’s healthcare challenges, according to Ahmed Elhusseiny, Area Head of APAC at Roche Pharma. In a recent interview with HIMMS TV, Ahmed explained how he views digital technologies and data strategies as essential to health systems’ ability to cope with the “silent epidemic” of aging populations and rising incidences. of noncommunicable diseases.
Ahmed, who has spent nearly a decade in leadership roles with Roche, recognizes the potential of harnessing data and technology to both improve patient outcomes and, more importantly, to strengthen healthcare systems and help them become more resilient and sustainable . In particular, it underscores the value that effective use of health data can add by creating opportunities to make health care more personalized and improve the quality and sustainability of care at every stage of the patient journey, from detection to diagnosis, to treatment and monitoring. He is also optimistic that health data has the potential to create new opportunities for early intervention to prevent disease.
Working together to lay the foundation for data-driven health
While the potential for data-driven health care to play a role in addressing the growing demand and growing pressure health systems face seems increasingly clear, the readiness of health systems to realize this potential is much less certain. Ahmed strongly advocates that stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem work together, as they have during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure systems are ready for change.
He argues, however, that digital and data-driven healthcare can “thrive only in systems that are truly receptive to it.” Technology and data are “very exciting, but what’s really important is the ecosystem that enables it.” He says partnership and collaboration will be key to making that happen.
He gave examples from the Philippines and Indonesia, where Roche is collaborating with local cancer institutions and governments on telementoring programs to upskill nurses so they can provide better cancer care to patients in communities where health coverage is low. insufficient.
“The amazing thing is the scalability,” he said. “If you do it for 1,000, you can do it for 100,000.” This is just one of the benefits of digital technology
The partnership is also key to initiatives in Singapore and Australia, where Roche is collaborating with national cancer institutes to pilot full genomic sequencing programs to better identify cancer types and generate data that will ensure patients get the best therapies and more targeted with the potential to improve patient outcomes.
Ensure data security and interoperability
Improving cross-border data flow is one of the biggest opportunities for health data beyond local initiatives according to Ahmed, but warns that it comes with huge challenges. Privacy and security are “one of the top priorities, and data capture and transfer must be done” safely and securely without compromise.
Remaining optimistic about the future, he concludes: “I believe that a lot of technology exists today, and there will be more to come. The challenge is how to develop those systems, alliances, trust and collaborations to realize its full potential.”
Precision Public Health Asia Society and the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore have partnered to offer strategies for healthcare organizations to enable a seamless data sharing ecosystem. Read the white paper here.