The Information Technology Advantage in Life Sciences and Healthcare

THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGE

A clinical trial is largely dependent on the data provided by the subjects enrolled into the trial, who consume the drug under question. A drug for it to be launched in the market after extensive research takes anywhere around 15 to 20 years. Also millions of dollars are spent each year by Sponsors on clinical trials. With such a lot of effort, time and money going into trials, the success of the trial becomes very essential. This success can largely be achieved by the right data reported within the right frame of time by the patient.

Till date most trials have this data (PRO) captured by using the paper based system wherein all the questionnaires are administered by means of paper. With the modernization of the world and tremendous development of technology, time has come where all the players of the clinical research industry should use the features of information technology for improved results.

The ePRO(Electronic patient reported outcomes) and mPRO(Mobile Based Patient Reported Outcomes) provide an edge over the traditional paper based system allowing:

· Rapid data capture,

· Avoidance of data entry errors,

· Ability to trigger alerts/notifications for specific responses of concern

· Elimination of double data entry processes

· Real-time tracking of survey and compliance

· Reduction in missing information as compared to with paper administration

· Increase in patients’ willingness to report sensitive information

· Secure data storage in a compliant environment

· Easy access and storage of data -it omits the problem of data archival which is a huge problem with data storage as the regulations require the data to be stored for a minimum of 15 years after the start of the trial and 3-5 years after the drug has obtained marketing approval.

Treatment Adherence

Treatment Adherence refers to how closely a patient follows a prescribed treatment regimen. Different types of therapeutic areas need different treatment methodologies and schedules of the prescribed medication dosage. Treatment adherence plays an important role in clinical as well as behavioural treatment in patients. While in certain cases of illness adherence to a health condition may not be critical, some illnesses need extremely high adherence and compliance to the treatment regimen. Treatment adherence could imply on behavioral treatment such as adhering to an exercise routine or a particular diet plan whilst being critical in cases of terminal diseases, oncology (cancer), CVD (Cardio-Vascular Diseases) etc wherein the patient needs to take their medication at a particular time( under pre-defined circumstances). Ensuring that the patient has taken his/her medication on time and by acknowledging the intake, the clinical fraternity( Doctors/Physicians/Nurses/Caregivers) can monitor their patients in a better way. Keeping a track of their patients and their medication intake compliance, they can zero in on to various health conditions applying to the patient.

From a Patient's standpoint, there are several reasons for them to become non compliant or non adherent to their medication intake/treatment schedule such as forgetfulness, busy work schedules, multiple medication intake and schedules, ignorance, severe health conditions, age etc. As a result of which they are not able to do due diligence and are subject to prolonged illnesses. It therefore is mandatory for the patient to be sticking to his medication/treatment regimen for better and quicker recovery.

While for the patient it means better health, for a healthcare institution it means better point of care, treatment adherence initiatives, close monitoring of the patients.

mHealth in Emerging countries - Going beyond general healthcare !!

The rapidly increasing numbers of mobile phones and its users across the globe are opening up an all new dimension of providing better healthcare. While the developed nations are enjoying the perks of high end technology reaching out to them,it is a growing concern for those in developing or emerging nations to be matching the pace at which the other world is going.


Mobility Solutions for emerging nations is the next big thing that us in the Mobile Health Care industry need to think of. There are people who have been thinking and to an extent been acting up on it, but to actually bring it on to the table it will need some really user friendly products/services that would enable people/patients from all walks of like and socio-economic strata to have access to these facilities.


Unlike the western nations with advanced technology as a part of their dailies, we would need to bring out solutions that are not device specific but are generic and can be used by absolutely every one !!


NowPos from India (www.nowpos.com) certainly has made a point here by introducing such features for a developing or emerging nation by taking the lowest denominator of all phones and providing absolutely what other high end devices are providing. The solution introduced caters to Treatment Adherence, Patient reported outcomes, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) , Medical Health Records (MHRs), Patient care, Post discharge care and many other spheres for multiple therapeutic areas.


We need to take a few concrete decisions and steps to notice and provide the best that we can using the available technology.


Cheers !!