Patient Participation Through Electronic Genomic Information - Essay Example

Patients Instantly Become Physician Assistants with Electronic Genomic Information Affiliation Healthcare Regulators & Physicians From: Bravehearts Healthcare Research & Implementation Association Scenario: Elimination of healthcare costs through time saving initiatives and patient participation through Electronic Genomic Information. Date: 17th November 2014 Introduction: The general rise in healthcare costs and high levels of uninsured population in America makes the average citizen lose out on the benefits of advanced technology in healthcare (Richards-Kortum, 2010). When we encourage the use of technology in healthcare, it is meant to make processes easier and faster thus less costly. This will translate to minimal cover in terms of medical insurance as well as reduced operational costs of the physicians. This is an aspect that is promised through exploitation of Genomic Information that took time and money to establish through research in healthcare. Having determined the initial costs of authenticating procedures and results of the Next-Generation Sequencer, it would be a waste of resources if the general public does not enjoy the benefits (Lefemine, 2012). The cost was not meant to satisfy the egos of researchers and earn them professional recognition. The essence was to enjoy productivity in the professional application of the reliable Genomic Information. The process will be successful if: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to authorize the publication and accessibility of Genomic Information electronically. As highlighted in previous application, this process can reduce logistical inconveniences in the diagnosis and treatment methods (Collins & Hamburg, 2013). The royalties paid to gene patent holders must be restricted to reasonable amounts that will be pre-determined by the government. A department has to be assigned the process of evaluating and documenting usage of the genomic information by clinical laboratories and remittances be made to the gene patent holders through the department. Technological advancements in medical research have to promote accessibility of quality healthcare and not introduce more barriers to the existing. Situational analysis Sponsors and investors in healthcare research have a right to benefit from their hard earned breakthrough. This includes recovery of financial costs and other expenses incurred while seeking an identified breakthrough. It is not ethically right to deny any investor their returns on investment. The Next-Generation sequencer came after years of toil and expenditure estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars (Collins & Hamburg, 2013). The global population is large enough to encourage minimal contributions by patients in recovery of the said amounts. I believe the break through is applicable universally because the human systems is the same. The investors must look beyond the United States borders and the government must intervene through introduction of set and exhaustible royalties. This is why gene patent holders must be engaged in dialogues spanning through research processes, qualification and treatment application phase. A preset mode of operation should define the process to its application thus pricing defined through the healthcare supply chain parameters. This would allow gene patent holders to market and encourage development of economies of scale to recover their investment at very low and affordable cost per global patient (Greenwald, 2010). The more the number of global genomic information users, the lower the cost of application of genomic information in medical treatment. Accessibility would be guaranteed if the Food and Drug Administration would authorize and support electronic circulation of Genomic Information. This is in terms of intellectual property management. Specific rules and procedures of usage have to be set so that objective use and reward of the system is derived (Emanuel & Fuchs, 2008). It is true a lot of manpower will be shed through this process leading to unemployment. The team used for DNA sampling and handling, shipping to the destination laboratory as well as laboratory analysis of samples will be reduced substantially. This involves other processes such as labeling, refrigeration and screening that have a record number of healthcare assistant workers. Secondly, technicians have to be trained and equipped with information in tracking changes in data or analysis content. This would require additional spending by the healthcare institutions. The overall effect of this scenario is loss of employment thus reduced purchasing power in the economy yet additional money will be drained out of the economy to facilitate the quality training of the laboratory technician. The electronic genomic information shifts central control of the analysis process and spreads them to various sites across the country and globe. The standards must not be compromised in order to maintain consistency in the expected and actual results (Jonas, Goldsteen, & Goldsteen, 2007). The FDA can control this aspect through engaging the departments under threat of job insecurity to nominate candidates to be trained at the identified pilot head quarters. The officers are the ones to be sent back after qualification to initiate on-site processes of utilizing electronic genomic information. The challenge with technology is in counterfeiting and hacking of systems. A potential threat lies in distortion of the information to provide inconsistencies in delivery. Other crime perpetrators may hack into the on-site systems and take advantage of naïve physicians and patients for financial and other interests. The FDA must only allow identified institutions that will undertake practice of the program. The staff names and credentials must be made public to avoid possibilities of impersonation. Patients can enjoy personalized attention through having all their genomic information digitalized (Collins & Hamburg, 2013). This will provide an alternative to setting up on-site centers. Their genetic information will instead be transmitted in seconds to pilot centers that will have limited but qualified staff who will perform analysis. Results can be remitted within minutes and specialized treatment initiated. However, the issue of volumes through global consideration and prevalence of diseases favor the decentralization process. Other Economic Implications Healthcare research takes a lot of commitment, dedication and elements that cannot be financially quantified. Through asking the FDA to interfere with existing royalty application in favor of healthcare interests is unrealistic. In a competitive economy, someone else always finds loopholes that provide advantageous positions. It will be unfair to deny gene patent holders an opportunity to rightfully gain from their sweat when entrepreneurs looking for profits identify opportunities that they exploit. FDA can set up a national body that regulates the affairs of the process. Having a single payer system that encourages patients not to remit any payment related to electronic genomic information would be an excellent control (Shi, & Singh, 2011). Physicians and laboratory attendants will only act on centrally printed slips and receipts determining specific operations in lab analysis. The gene patent holders will be assigned codes to identify their periodical payments thus restricting the engagement of third party investors in the system. The government wastes a lot of funds in terms of healthcare budget and control. Through encouraging personalized medicine derived from electronic genomic information, the costs of medical operations will decline as prevalence of certain recurring ailments will be controlled. Therefore, the government budget in healthcare will be reduced by a great margin that will encourage implementation of the single payer system in electronic genomic information use. The introduction of Electronic Genomic Information results into loss of employment to individuals within the healthcare industry. The reduced purchasing power ensures most of these individuals lose their medical insurance cover or limit their options previously enjoyed in their insurance system. This is a situation that cannot be controlled unless alternative employment is created. The initial proposal in this paper is to engage them in the electronic version of their work. This can only serve a small percentage of the laid off workers. The FDA and government should therefore shift this experienced and idle labor into medical research (Patel & Rushefsky, 2006). The amount spent in engaging them is equivalent to the amount saved through reduced healthcare budget courtesy of implementation of the Electronic Genomic Information. Despite implementing a single payer system, collaboration between officials and physicians for commercial application of the system may arise. However controlled the system is perceived, internal compromise will always exploit loopholes. This includes sharing of passwords or access credentials. A national audit committee must be established comprising of physicians, FDA officials and consumer representatives randomly selected from the public. A single sequence system that will track patient details and serialize the information on a national and global scale should be able to provide an avenue to effect snap checks (Lambert, & Kobliner, 2010). Snap checks are surprise audits that are issue based. The snap checks will only focus on areas with suspicious traffic of patient service with regards to Electronic Genomic Information. Extra Assistance This comes from FDA and government initiatives that harmonize the stakeholders in efforts to implement Electronic Genomic Information. The main communication avenue for the program details and importance is through national sensitization campaigns. This is because the average American citizen only gets interested in healthcare issues addressing their current medical problem. It is the duty of the government to educate the average American interest despite their participation level. This is important in raising the intellectual level on the application of Electronic Genomic Information. The public is the main watchdog that will monitor the controls put in place. Since the public forms the main target of criminal exploiters in the system application, the resistance level will be reduced in their target victim segment (Beishem, Young & Weizsacker, 2012). Conclusion Electronic Genomic Information will improve efficiency in the healthcare sector and most important aspect is engagement of patients in the treatment procedure (Collins & Hamburg, 2013). Next-Generation Sequencing has ensured alternatives exist to unique medical cases and therefore physicians will have an easy time in terms of medical prescription. The process has also increased chances of physicians and healthcare centers escaping liability for intentional improper handling of patients. The healthcare centers will enjoy guaranteed insurance cover for cases that deviate from the standard systems of diagnosis and treatment through the electronic system. The overall implication is the development of a stress free atmosphere for physicians due to the sharing of decision making initiatives with patients and industry regulators. Most of all, patients will experience the worth of their money in seeking medical treatment. The patients will appreciate various medical procedures and their relevance in healthy living. Through empowering physicians with the Electronic Genomic Information, the FDA will open the way for increased levels of sponsors’ participation in future medical research. This is a free marketing opportunity that applies across an extensive geographical boundary beyond the United States. Furthermore, regulation of gene patent holders royalty payment will guarantee some minimum level or returns to participants in the healthcare research initiatives. References Beishem, M, Young, O. & Weizsacker, E. (2012). Limits to Privatization: How to Avoid Too Much of a Good Thing. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Collins, F.S. & Hamburg, M.A. (2013). First FDA Authorization for Next Generation Sequencer. Retrieved from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1314561 Emanuel, E. & Fuchs, V. (2008). Healthcare, guaranteed: a simple, secure solution for America. New York: Public Affairs. Greenwald, H. (2010). Health care in the United States: organization, management, and policy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Jonas, S., Goldsteen, R. & Goldsteen, K. (2007). An introduction to the U.S. health care system. New York, NY: Springer. Lambert, B & Kobliner, V. (2010).A compromised generation: the epidemic of chronic illness in Americas children. Boulder, CO: Sentient Publications. Lefemine, A. (2012). Us and World Medical Care. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris Corporation. Patel, K. & Rushefsky, M.E. (2006). Health care politics and policy in America, 3rd edn. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe. Richards-Kortum, R. (2010). Biomedical engineering for global health. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press. Shi, L. & Singh, D. (2011). The nations health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Read More