Healthcare facilities in Latin American countries need to be more equipped due to budgetary constraints. Data suggests that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries’ average health per capita, public and private, is US$3,994 when adjusted to purchasing power parity (PPP). However, it is significantly lower in Latin American countries such as Argentina (US$1,907), Brazil (US$1,138), and Columbia (US$960). As a result, people do not have access to quality medical care.  

Consequently, health professionals find it challenging to contain epidemics and confront the rise in mortality due to missed diagnoses in the Caribbean and Latin American regions. A recent study has highlighted the importance of early detection and diagnostic confirmation to reduce mortality and morbidity among Latin Americans.  

X-ray machine inadequacy impacts timely and accurate diagnosis in the region 

It is common to see clinicians in the region depending on older medical devices, often resulting in delayed and missed diagnoses. For instance, currently, doctors and radiologists still rely on older X-ray films which take time to develop. This results in patients having to wait for an accurate diagnosis.  

Related: Unveiling the Latin American health market

Moreover, as updated healthcare facilities are often inaccessible from remote areas in Latin America, many patients skip their appointments in larger urban centres simply because they do not want to return to collect their reports and clinical diagnoses. The result is rather dismal. The availability of affordable medical devices and imaging equipment has the potential to change scenario this for the better.  

Advanced imaging devices are the need of the hour  

Advanced, affordable, and easily implementable X-ray systems have the potential to save innumerable billable hours of doctors and technicians and unburden healthcare facilities across Latin America. There is an urgent need to implement X-ray devices that can be used across clinics, hospitals, urgent care centres, and general practices, even if there are space constraints, which is usually the case in Latin American countries. 

New imaging devices are changing the scene in LATAM 

To overcome these issues, Konica Minolta Healthcare, an American company, has recently launched two of its popular medical devices in the Latin American (LATAM) market.  

Konica Minolta’s KDR Primary system and MKDR Xpress are particularly suited where clinicians need quick diagnostic imaging in clinical settings with limited facilities. Both devices will launch in Mexico and eventually become available in other Latin American countries. Such affordable and patient-friendly imaging devices are poised to empower medical professionals to avoid delays in essential care.   

Stay up to date with the latest advancements in medical care through the Florida International Medical Expo (FIME), the largest trade show for the medical device and equipment industry in the Americas, taking place between June 21 and 23, 2023.  

Network with medical device and equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in the Americas, with over 12,000 trade professionals from more than 110 countries worldwide and attend thought-provoking conferences for knowledge-sharing. Register today! (embed tracker link) 

Back to Management

The Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) kicked off today at the Miami Beach Convention Centre. Dan Gelber, Mayor of Miami Beach, participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the show.

FIME, organised by Informa Markets, hosts over 1,200 exhibitors, including 330 new exhibitors, and welcomes over 50,000 attendees from over 50 countries. Over the next three days, the event is creating a hub of knowledge exchange and shaping the future of healthcare. The show offers a unique business-to-business platform for professionals in the healthcare and medical sector. Through dedicated conference tracks, it will also shed light on the latest trends in tech innovation, start-ups, and artificial intelligence.

Mayor Gelber said: “I am thrilled to welcome all the show's visitors to Miami. With over 1,000 exhibitors, FIME is crucial in boosting our economy. But the real reason we are delighted to welcome the global healthcare community here is because you all do very important work and are showcasing some of the greatest advances in medical treatment that will play a role in saving lives. What you all do is vital and critical to the world's wellness, and for that, we're very grateful that you chose our city to host the exhibition.”

Related: Omnia Health Magazine May - June 2023

Dr. Mukesh Agrawal, Head-International Business & Strategy, TI-Medtech, an exhibitor at the show, shared: “We are India-based distributors and manufacturers and are highlighting our medical consumables such as sutures. Latin America and the US are important markets for us, and we have also recently applied for US FDA approval, which will take around three to five months to come through.

“We operate in some pockets in Latin America, and being at FIME will help us expand our horizons further in the region. The event is an important platform for an emerging company like us, as we can interact with prospective distributors, channel partners, and hospital representatives and create some traction to get our product in this country.”

Dr. Mukesh Agrawal at FIME 2023

Commitment to sustainability

The FIME team has elevated the sustainability efforts for this year's event. The show has incorporated several sustainability practices into its operations, from responsibly managing tradeshow waste to implementing reusable books and providing exhibitors with the option to opt for eco-conscious stands.

Taking centre stage at the event is Miami Dade Animal Services (MDAS), a local organisation committed to finding homes for over 650 pets. "We are profoundly grateful for the opportunity to bring some of these pets for adoption at this event," shared a representative from MDAS. "Not only does this help the shelter pets, but it also spreads awareness on the importance of vaccination and sterilisation for pets."

Related: Unleashing the power of health tech to enhance patient outcomes

Gil Alejo, Exhibition Director, FIME, Informa Markets, concluded: “We are thrilled to welcome the entire healthcare and technology community to Miami Beach and this beautiful venue for another spectacular event. The entire FIME team has worked hard to create the best experience possible. This year's event offers several new features on the show floor, including the Intelligent Health Pavilion and Transformation Zone. On behalf of the entire team, we would like to wish you a successful rest of the week.”

Visit the Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) in Miami to learn more.

Back to Management

Healthcare reforms in the United States have a long-standing history and date back to as early as 1912 when President Theodore Roosevelt promised national health insurance during his re-election campaign. Though Roosevelt was not successful, the topic of changing the face of healthcare in America enjoyed unsurpassed attention from lawmakers and political parties. In the past, we witnessed several US presidents attempting to bring in healthcare reforms during their power but without success.  

However, some of the significant efforts by American presidents towards making health coverage universal were of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Harry Truman, who significantly pushed for a national insurance program; Lyndon B. Johnson; whose Medicare and Medicaid programs were signed into law in 1965 soon after he assumed office; and Richard Nixon, who introduced the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan or CHIP in 1974. 

And lastly, it was United States’ 44th President Barack Obama who successfully signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, ensuring every American has access to quality and affordable healthcare.  

Understanding Affordable Care Act 

The Affordable Care Act, also popularly known as ACA, is a comprehensive healthcare reform law and its amendments. Enacted in 2010, ACA is aimed at addressing health insurance coverage, health care costs, and preventive care.   

‘The ACA exchanges offer subsidies based on income that help cut health insurance costs for Americans who qualify. The ACA also allows states to expand Medicaid to more people by lowering income requirements to get coverage’. 

Related: North America sees growing investment in healthcare cybersecurity market

Besides the subsidies, the ACA also offers several other benefits like prohibiting lifetime monetary caps on health insurance plans, forbidding insurers from cancelling it unless there is a fraud, preventing health insurers to deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions, requiring insurers to use at least a minimum percentage of premiums to pay for members’ medical services, and allowing parents to keep children on their health insurance until the age of 26, to name a few.  

Significant development in US health reform 

A recent significant development in public health reform in the country aimed at reducing healthcare costs in the country with Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law.  

The bill allows Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, caps out-of-pocket costs for seniors to $2,000 per month, and extend the expanded Affordable Care Act program for three years, through 2025. 

But despite significant strides made in the US healthcare space, Americans still feel there is a long way to go. According to recent annual Health and Healthcare survey by Gallup, an American advisory and analytics firm, the findings highlight that ‘for the first time in Gallup’s two-decade trend, less than half of Americans are complimentary about the quality of U.S. healthcare, with 48 per cent rating it “excellent” or “good”. The slight majority now rate healthcare quality as subpar, including 31 per cent saying it is “only fair” and 21 per cent — a new high — calling it “poor”’. 

High costs, quality of healthcare coverage, and accessibility to healthcare services top the list of issues and some Americans also deem it as one of the nation’s foremost problems. This clearly indicates that though America’s focus on providing quality healthcare for its people has been over a century old and continues to be a key topic in the country, reforms need to be brought in to improve and meet the healthcare expectations of its citizens.  

Looking ahead, healthcare leaders in the US are playing a role in raising awareness, educating a new generation of movers and shakers, and implementing best practices in their respective fields to ensure quality patient delivery.  

Visit the Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) in Miami to learn more

Back to Management

In the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, technology is pivotal in empowering patients along their health journey. From digital platforms to wearable devices, these diverse tools have the potential to revolutionise patient care and enhance the overall healthcare experience.

Related: Better experiences and improved outcomes with AI

At the Florida International Medical Expo taking place this week, from June 21 to 23, in Miami, Florida, Dr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health at Google/YouTube will shed light on how technology is used to help patients along their health journey. “We need to think about how we view information as a driver for healthcare and how technology can be leveraged as a tool in giving patients health information to help improve their health outcomes and for better clinical decision making,” he says in an exclusive interview with Omnia Health.

Mapping out the patient journey

When considering a patient's journey, it becomes apparent that their interaction with a clinician typically spans just a few minutes or a few hours within a healthcare setting. However, the majority of their time is spent engaging with information outside of that specific context. They make important health decisions from this vast array of information. “In this context, we can explore the various tools available to patients, such as information resources, online platforms, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies, and other components. These tools serve as means to provide patients with information that can assist them in making informed decisions about their own health. As individuals involved in healthcare technology, it is crucial for us to understand and navigate the patient journey, comprehending how patients use health information. By leveraging this knowledge, we can effectively guide and support their decision-making process in healthcare,” he emphasises.

Technology as a tool

Dr. Graham also spoke about how perceiving technology as a positive force and a valuable tool for patients is essential. “The reality is that all of us already incorporate these tools into our healthcare journeys. The critical question arises: How can we develop these tools to be engaging, evidence-based, and user-friendly for patients?”

In healthcare organisations, it is crucial to view empowering patients as achieving both individual health outcomes and meeting broader population health goals. By taking patients along their healthcare journey, organisations can contribute to making communities healthier.

Dr. Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health at Google/YouTube

“For healthcare organisations, including large health systems and other entities within the healthcare ecosystem, these tools should be seen as valuable resources in our efforts to improve patients' health. Like diagnostic tests or interventions, these tools serve as different interventions along the patient journey, guiding them towards improved health outcomes,” says Dr. Graham.

By incorporating these tools into strategies, healthcare organisations can leverage them as powerful arrows in their arsenal. Just as each arrow serves a specific purpose, these tools are essential components in the quest to enhance patients' well-being and contribute to the overall health of communities.

“It is essential for us to meet patients and consumers where they are, becoming a part of their world rather than expecting them to adapt to ours. When considering the tools available to us in technology, we must focus on integrating ourselves into the patient journey and driving positive mental health outcomes,” he explains.

Solutions to create accessibility

To be an integral part of the patient journey, solutions need to be developed that align with patients' needs, preferences, and behaviours. These tools should be accessible, user-friendly, and patient-centric, empowering individuals to take control of their mental health.

Creating a collaborative and supportive environment where patients feel empowered and connected is necessary. Engaging with patients on their terms allows them to drive meaningful and impactful mental health outcomes, positively influencing their overall well-being.

“We must think through the patient journey and how technology access and engagement help to drive patients to make the best next decision. That's really what we should be involved in. How do we help patients make the best next decision for them individually? And how do we ensure we can do that on a population level scale?” concludes Dr. Graham.

Back to Technology

 

Dr. Garth Graham will be speaking live at FIME  on Wednesday, 21 June 2023, at the Transformation Talks

In-person dates: June 21 to 23, Online: June 7 to July 7, Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center. For more information and the latest updates, visit www.fimeshow.com

Abu Dhabi is home to one of the most advanced clinical trial units, designed to perform world-class research with the aim of translating scientific discoveries into innovative treatments to solve complex and prevalent conditions in the region.  

The unit belonging to Sheikh Shakbout Medical City (SSMC) is equipped with cutting-edge technology and led by a dedicated team of researchers conducting pioneering research, including investigational and observational studies, and complex trials in areas with unmet medical needs. These research areas include neurology, rheumatology, haematology, oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology and paediatrics. 

In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), Khalifa University and other academic institutions, the trial unit has helped set a new benchmark for innovative research and development in the UAE.  

The mission is to transform the region into a life sciences hub, and respond to pressing present and future health challenges, while also contributing to creating a more sustainable and self-reliant healthcare system, said Dr. Sharukh Hashmi, Consultant, Chair of Hematology & Oncology Division and Acting Director of Research at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC). 

Related: Decentralised clinical trials are amplifying health equity

The trials unit is part of a multi-phase approach that spans over a period of 10 years in the region. The first phase will focus on the establishment of the unit’s core infrastructure and initial operations, while the second phase has been planned to create a dedicated physical space. In its third phase, the unit will extensively investigate business development and entrepreneurship opportunities.  

Dr. Hashmi believes the establishment of this unit is a positive move for the MENA healthcare industry. “Operating in a research and academic environment, acquiring new knowledge and skills, seeking new solutions and innovation can provide better care to patients in the UAE and across the region, thus successfully delivering on their mission of placing people’s needs first,” he said.  

He further added: “In an era of ageing populations, the spread of infectious diseases, an epidemic of lifestyle diseases, the rise of misinformation, and a lack of public trust, there is an increasingly pressing need to address complex care challenges through research and innovation as a mean to safeguard and invest in our future.” 

Besides streamlining healthcare delivery and providing optimal medical solutions, the unit is expected to create more opportunities for local and regional researchers, thus encouraging the newer generation to pursue a career in medical research.  

 

Back to Management

Arab Health, the UAE’s largest healthcare event that connects global leaders and key players to state-of-the-art innovation, industry knowledge and business networking opportunities, won the title of “Best Exhibition of the Year” at the recent Middle East Event Awards.

The award is a testament to the Arab Health team’s long-standing commitment to inspire, innovate and reshape the future of life sciences and healthcare business while promoting sustainable best practices across operations as event organisers.

Each edition of the show is crafted to provide an engaging platform for interdisciplinary dialogue among diverse stakeholders and forge meaningful collaborations that would in turn strengthen existing healthcare systems, enhance the quality of patient care and delivery, and secure the future of medical professionals and healthcare entrepreneurs alike.

Related: Arab Health Post-Show Report: The Future of Healthcare, Today

Arab Health successfully concluded its 48^th edition themed ‘Innovation and Sustainability in Healthcare’ at the Dubai World Trade Centre earlier this year, marking a record number of 60,000 attendees, 3,000 exhibitors and 44 pavilions.

Attendees from different sectors of the healthcare industry experienced a diverse showcase of focused product markets and specialised CME-accredited conferences and workshops led by globally renowned visionaries. The game-changing Future Health Summit hosted at the Museum of the Future also brought thought-provoking concepts to the forefront, led by Dr. Timothy F. Witham, who is the first surgeon to perform an augmented reality spinal procedure.

Arab Health will return live in person from January 29 to February 1 next year. Be a part of the buzz and register for Arab Health 2024 today: 

______

Back to Management

Proximie has been at the forefront of innovation in the healthcare space, providing tech-driven software solutions to help aspiring and practicing surgeons across the globe overcome certain challenges that plague their profession. Among these is working in remote collaborative environments with low bandwidth, which often leads to poor visual clarity and network lags that make it difficult to follow a real-time procedure in the operating theater. Proximie’s healthcare platform not only provides reliable telepresence for up to 50 participants and viewers, but also gives medical professionals access to data insights and content management from the operating room.

“The infrastructure was designed in a way so that any other modules could be plugged into the same platform through APIs, giving users an integrated platform in one place,” said Bassem F. Hashash, Regional Director META (Middle East, Turkey, and Africa) and APAC, Managing Partner — Proximie SAL.

Bassem F. Hashash

The latest addition to Proximie’s portfolio is the PxLens, which is a pair of hands-free smart glasses that allows surgeons freedom of movement in the operating room and provides viewers a first-person perspective of activities taking place in the environment.

“We designed the software that integrates the third-party manufactured wearable into our Proximie platform, making it one of the four video feeds. Rather than having cameras on different sides, viewers have an intimate view of procedures through the doctor’s eyes,” said Hashash.

Related: Podcast: The future of surgery with Proximie

Proximie is passionate about improving outcomes, productivity, and patient safety. This is why its solutions have integrated features that are both user-friendly, interactive, and accessible. Its platform seamlessly connects to devices such as an endoscope or surgical robots to ensure crisp video feeds with unimpeded views. “Our solutions allow the integration of different medical devices and give junior doctors a comfortable view of the surgeries performed by specialists. This aids in knowledge enhancement,” he added.

Proximie is also on a mission to integrate its solutions into developing countries where access to hospitals and trained doctors is limited.

“We are now associated with different global health organizations and are active in the African continent. In Kenya, for example, we set up a presence in five hospitals to address the high morbidity rate among pregnant women undergoing a C-section,” he said.

Related: Powering virtual clinical trials with specialised software

Hashash shared that thousands of surgeries have been conducted and recorded via Proximie’s platform to date, boasting a presence in around 500 hospitals in 50 countries across five continents.

“Few companies provide telepresence, few do video processing and management, while others take the data and create insights. What truly sets Proximie apart is that we provide a multitude of services all in one platform. We work directly with hospitals and medical device companies to enhance the field of professional education,” he concluded.

This article appears in Omnia Health magazine. Read the full issue online today.

Back to Technology

On Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) marked the official launch of Nebras, a new national research programme designed to enhance the skills of nurses and midwives through collaborative partnerships between mentors and mentees. The initiative, run in partnership with Pfizer, also aims to help both nursing students and professionals play an integral role in the research and development of clinical practice supported by scientific evidence. 

Dr. Sumaya Mohammed Al Blooshi, Chairperson of the National Committee for Nursing and Midwifery, joined by Dr. Fatima Rifai, Board Member of the Emirates Nursing Association and International Council of Nurses, and Dr. Sumaya Khalifa Alrubaei, Section Head — Workforce Regulations & Standards, Healthcare Workforce Planning Division, Healthcare Workforce Sector at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, addressed Nebras as a valuable opportunity for participating nurses and midwives in the UAE to gain new perceptions in the field, stay ahead of trends, and adopt the latest international practices to provide high-quality care to patients.

Maryam Al Blooshi, Director of Nursing at the Dubai Academic Health Corporation, who was among the attendees at the event, said: “This is a long-awaited initiative, and I believe it will help us bridge various gaps in theory, practice and knowledge, which are essential to build and guide clinical decisions and evidence-based policies in nursing and midwifery. A specialised platform for that is very important because our contribution to healthcare involves accompanying the patient on a journey of healing.”

She added that not many multidisciplinary fields focus on patients' emotions, reciprocation to treatment, or how different factors affect patient experiences, but nursing research can bring this to the forefront. “Nebras is much needed, not only for the profession and healthcare as a multidisciplinary sector, but also for patients themselves, and to improve care outcomes and the quality of life,” she said.

Related: Invisible to invaluable: Resolving challenges faced by nurses

UAE raises nursing and midwifery profile to global level

In an exclusive interview, Dr. Sumaya Mohammed Al Blooshi told Omnia Health that the UAE has made significant strides in nursing and midwifery in the last decade. From the globally renowned International Council of Nursing (ICN) to the World Health Organisation’s Meeting of Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers, she added that the representation of Emirati nurses and midwives has also increased.

“We have a national strategy that we are proud of because it is a roadmap for all health facilities and institutions to create a good framework for their nurses, who are working to strengthen their current system and make it an attractive prospect for Emiratis to join the nursing profession. We would also like to add a lot of specialised roles for nurses clinically to make them competent and autonomous in practice and give them the ability to show abstract presentations on international platforms,” she said, adding that the collaboration of these efforts empowers the nursing profession itself.

Related: Improving nursing time by offering improved visibility of medical equipment

Sustainability in nursing

Dr. Sumaya Al Blooshi also revealed that publication among UAE nurses has grown in the last two years, with strategies underway to increase the number of articles to establish the country’s own journal dedicated to nursing and midwifery.

“The number of Emirati students is also on the rise. We have great efforts at the government level. We would like to thank the great visionary leadership we have at the country level. The Nafis programme and its collaboration with medical universities are also playing a great role in supporting student admissions alongside new bylaws supporting students’ sponsorship and abilities,” she added.

Nebras is part of the UAE’s wider National Nursing and Midwifery Strategy (2022-2026) that aims to address existing and emerging challenges in healthcare and build a sustainable future in the nursing profession. Dr. Sumaya said that more initiatives under the National Strategy are in the pipeline to strengthen and empower the nurses at the country level to make nursing an attractive profession for the talented youth in the UAE.

“We are proud to have a number of male nurses currently enrolled in UAE universities and are looking to increase their numbers,” she concluded.

Commenting on Pfizer’s role in the new MoHAP initiative, Pfizer Gulf Medical Director Dr. Nadine Tarcha said: “Pfizer has a long heritage of supporting the development of evidence-based nursing practices across the Gulf region, particularly in the UAE. We are honoured to partner with MoHAP on the Nebras initiative to advance the crucial role of nurses in research, and we look forward to contributing to the efforts of the National Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery.”

___________

Outline of Nebras: ‘My Journey in the World of Nursing and Midwifery Research’ by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention

• The official committee sends out invitations to scientific research experts in the fields of nursing and midwifery to become mentors in the programme.
• Mentors are selected based on predefined criteria, and they participate in a three-day introductory and preparatory workshop for the programme.
• The initiative opens the door for nursing staff and midwives to submit their research ideas in nursing and midwifery to become mentees within the programme.
• Once appropriate ideas are chosen by the committee, each mentee is paired with a mentor, and together they develop a mentorship plan and set a mutually agreed-upon timeline, all coordinated through an integrated digital platform.
• At the end of the programme, participants will be recognised, and their achievements and research results will be highlighted. The programme cycle culminates with the publication of these achievements and a comprehensive report detailing the programme's outputs.

___
Learn more about nurse empowerment and the need to create a sustainable environment in nursing by accessing our ebook here.

Back to Management

Cleveland Clinic and IBM officially unveiled the first deployment of an onsite private sector IBM-managed quantum computer in the US. The IBM Quantum System One installed at Cleveland Clinic will be the first quantum computer in the world to be uniquely dedicated to healthcare research with an aim to help Cleveland Clinic accelerate biomedical discoveries.

The unveiling comes as a key milestone in Cleveland Clinic’s and IBM’s 10-year Discovery Accelerator partnership that was announced in 2021 and is focused on advancing the pace of biomedical research through the use of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Quantum computing is a rapidly emerging technology that harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that today’s most powerful supercomputers cannot practically solve. The ability to tap into these new computational spaces could help researchers identify new medicines and treatments more quickly.

Related: Technology-driven convergence in the life sciences industry

“This is a pivotal milestone in our innovative partnership with IBM, as we explore new ways to apply the power of quantum computing to healthcare,” said Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., Cleveland Clinic CEO and President and Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair. “This technology holds tremendous promise in revolutionizing healthcare and expediting progress toward new cares, cures, and solutions for patients. Quantum and other advanced computing technologies will help researchers tackle historic scientific bottlenecks and potentially find new treatments for patients with diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.”

With the unveiling of IBM Quantum System One at Cleveland Clinic, their team of world-class researchers can now explore and uncover new scientific advancements in biomedical research, according to Arvind Krishna, IBM Chairman and CEO. “By combining the power of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and other next-generation technologies with Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned leadership in healthcare and life sciences, we hope to ignite a new era of accelerated discovery.”

In addition to quantum computing, the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator draws upon a variety of IBM’s latest advancements in computing technologies, including high-performance computing via the hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence. Researchers from both organizations are collaborating closely on a robust portfolio of projects with these advanced technologies to generate and analyze massive amounts of data to enhance research.

Related: Powering virtual clinical trials with specialised software

The Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator has generated multiple projects that leverage the latest in quantum computing, AI, and hybrid cloud to help expedite discoveries in biomedical research. These include:

• Development of quantum computing pipelines to screen and optimize drugs targeted to specific proteins;
• Improvement of a quantum-enhanced prediction model for cardiovascular risk following non-cardiac surgery; and
• Application of artificial intelligence to search genome sequencing findings and large drug-target databases to find effective, existing drugs that could help patients with Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

The Discovery Accelerator also serves as the technology foundation for Cleveland Clinic’s Global Center for Pathogen & Human Health Research, part of the Cleveland Innovation District. The center, supported by a US$500 million investment from the State of Ohio, Jobs Ohio and Cleveland Clinic, brings together a team focused on studying, preparing and protecting against emerging pathogens and virus-related diseases.

Through the Discovery Accelerator, researchers are leveraging advanced computational technology to expedite critical research into treatments and vaccines.

This article appears in Omnia Health magazine. Read the full issue online today.

Back to Technology 

Health literacy enhances a population’s self-care capacity and helps to reduce health inequalities. Low health literacy (LHL) is associated mostly with mature patients with chronic health conditions, who have limited education, not necessarily from a lower income group, and those who cherish superstitions and stigma inside their preset narrow mind that prevents them from gathering some relevant information about health or health system access, diseases, and drugs from their surroundings, with a few exceptional cases. Also, being generally literate does not automatically make one to be health literate. LHL is not uncommon among patients with a high level of education or with well-off patients.

The cost of illiteracy to the global economy is estimated at US$1.19 trillion but LHL alone costs the US economy more or less US$200 billion every year. Only 12 per cent Americans have adequate health literacy and according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), improving health literacy could prevent nearly one million hospital visits and save over US$25 billion a year. LHL influences a lot of patients’ treatment guideline compliance or more directly medication adherence leads to poorer health outcomes, higher healthcare expenditures, increased hospitalisations, and even higher mortality rates in patients with chronic diseases. Individuals with poor health literacy often incur higher medical costs. Medication non-adherence contributes around 60 per cent of the US$500 billion total avoidable costs attributed to suboptimal medicine use globally each year.

Related: The importance of pharmacy-based vaccinations

Evidence shows that LHL is significantly associated with economic ramifications at the individual, employer, and healthcare system levels. But it is common to both developed and under-developed countries around the world and socio-economic conditions are not at all the sole factor of LHL. Surprisingly, close to 40 per cent of the US and UK adults have LHL, which is around 60 per cent in Canada, Australia, UAE’s adult population, and the European older population. Even China, home of the world’s greatest scientists and inventors issued “Health China 2030” in 2016, where the rate of national health literacy is aimed to increase to 30 per cent by 2030. The GDP per capita of these countries ranges from US$11,800 to US$62,200, based on Trading Economics 2022 data.

Many studies reveal that patients from high-income countries are not adequately adherent to medications as they are prescribed. Forgetfulness, confusion about the duration required for medication use, and mistrust about the overall efficacy of medication are among the reasons for non-adherence to diabetes management protocols in Middle Eastern countries. After World War II, Taiwan faced severe poverty which is now the eighth largest economy in Asia and the home of T2DM patients with 82 per cent health literacy.

Canada is the topmost educated country with a GDP close to two trillion and a GDP per capita of more than US$44,000. A recent survey granted by the Royal University Hospital Foundation in two urban tertiary care hospitals in Saskatoon shows that around 50 per cent of the patients admitted to the general internal medicine unit had LHL. Moreover, patients with LHL, but with high education, had a higher probability of emergency department re-visits.

A cross-sectional study of 259 school leaders in Hong Kong carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic between April 2021 and February 2022 shows that more than 50 per cent of participants had LHL and their LHL was strongly associated with a negative attitude about vaccination, low information, confusion about COVID-19-related information and secondary symptoms of burnouts.

Related: Ongoing education and training compulsory for lab professionals

In the US, a cohort study by Vanderbilt Center for Health Services Research (Nashville, Tennessee) of over 46,000 hospitalised patients showed that hypertension was more common in people with LHL. Also, the authors of the Hamburg Diabetes Prevention Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study in Germany concluded that LHL is an important factor in the three conditions of metabolic syndrome — obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

Finally, it can be said that LHL is associated with patient non-compliance, but it warrants further studies to judge whether it is the top reason for the same or not, as many studies conducted in developed countries reveal a high prevalence of cost-related patient non-adherence. Nevertheless, it can be said beyond reason health literacy provides a benefit in addressing the health needs of even the most disadvantaged and marginalised communities.

To improve adherence, patients need to clearly and appropriately understand health information related to their specific illness or disease. This understanding may be essential to helping patients generate the motivation, beliefs, and appropriate health behaviours needed to improve overall adherence behaviours. LHL is a curse, and it has to be minimised. All healthcare providers, stakeholders, and even government and community authorities should work on it.

References available on request.

Abdul Kader Mohiuddin is a registered pharmacist with the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council and an alumni at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Dhaka University.

This article appears in Omnia Health magazine. Read the full issue online today.

Back to Management

 

Connect with lab and healthcare manufacturers and suppliers at Medlab Asia and Asia Health from August 16 - 18.  Register here.