Covid-19 Brings Personalised Care through Prevention

The need for resilient and proactive health systems was highlighted at Covid-19. Countries must implement the policies and procedures required for preventative care to achieve this. On the 17th of June, moderator Dr. Charles Alessi, Chief Clinical Officer of HIMSS, spoke with three experts in the field about the potential of personalized healthcare (PHC) to champion illness prevention rather than just sick care during the webinar “Moving from Sick Care to Prevention Through Personalised Care – What’s Needed?”

Dr. Alessi began by stating that Covid-19 has expedited digital transformation in healthcare and opened the door to treating diseases in a fundamentally different way, and discussing more personalization of care. Precision health focuses on providing nudges, behavior change, and assisting individuals in better managing their risks rather than waiting until they develop symptoms.

Dr. Chai Chuah, the former Director-General of Health and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Health, stated that seeing beyond the subject of health” would be an essential theme of health system reform. He emphasized that broad determinants of health, notable concerns in social, economic, and environmental domains, would need to be considered from a reform approach. He also advocated for a greater emphasis on well-being and early prevention, noting that healthcare systems should start by focusing on self-care, home care, community care, and primary care.

Farid Bidgoli, General Manager of Roche Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, discussed how customized healthcare is being integrated in Thailand right now. Welala Health & Wellness was one of the companies he mentioned. The program identifies its customers’ DNA with a buccal swab and then provides food suggestions based on their genetic makeup. Taking things a step further, the platform has partnered with over 40 Thai eateries to give clients with customized meals.