(Franck V., Unsplash)
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Esther Hallal, a third-year student at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” and a member of Federaţia Asociaţiilor Studenţilor în Medicină din România (FASMR). She is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.
Despite the high rate of eHealth advancements barriers related to security and liberty need to be addressed in order to leverage the adoption of innovation1. Technology improves the quality of healthcare delivery in both developed and developing countries thus changing the understanding of privacy would allow us to pursue the benefits of big data mining2. Risking our security is a means to an end. Allowing data collection and analysis guarantees our rights to preventive healthcare, to equality, and to life.
Today, EU public spending on healthcare accounts for approximately 17.1% of total government spending, while 75% of all health costs derive from preventable conditions3. European integration interconnects health systems and redistributes financial efforts that combat the following challenges: growing aging population, prevention and early detection of non-communicable diseases (diabetes, heart disease, and cancer), primary healthcare inequality4.
As the aging population grows, we are spending more years with chronic illnesses, which is driving high expenditure. According to the Eurostat population projections5, the projected increase in the dependency ratio is from 29.6% in 2016 to 51.2% in 2070. A sustainable future means adding “health to years” by redesigning care programs under a common framework, encouraging active aging and embracing augmented health workforce.
Nowadays, DNA sequencing and pharmacogenomics generate personalized treatment plans that lead to optimal drug-response.6 While on a larger scale allowing for pattern recognition within the population which can be used to identify at-risk groups thus preventing and diagnosing disease in their incipient stages.
It is tempting to say that the collection of metadata is an infringement upon our security but we find ourselves in the “golden age of liberty”7. Moreover, let us not fall trap to the “black swan fallacy” by arguing that current security measures allowed terrorism because one cannot account for the catastrophes avoided. Healthcare is second to the finance industry in the number of annual cyber attacks8, however, this should only emphasize the value of mitigating risks rather than discrediting the benefits of innovation.
In conclusion, in order to reap the benefits of technology in healthcare and face the challenges of this era, a lack of full control over our data becomes a necessary evil. Liberty comes with a cost. In health care, it is that of preventive care or even primary treatment. This is a cost that should be manipulated but not eliminated, as it is vital for keeping a holistic view of health care.
Bibliography
- Van Velthoven MH, Cordon C. Sustainable Adoption of Digital Health Innovations: Perspectives From a Stakeholder Workshop. J Med Internet Res. 2019;21(3):e11922. Published 2019 Mar 25. doi:10.2196/11922
- Zayyad MA, Toycan M. Factors affecting sustainable adoption of e-health technology in developing countries: an exploratory survey of Nigerian hospitals from the perspective of healthcare professionals. PeerJ. 2018;6:e4436. Published 2018 Mar 1. doi:10.7717/peerj.4436
- https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/economy-finance/ip079_en.pdf
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019
- https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database?node_code=proj
- http://www.euro.who.int/ data/assets/pdf_file/0008/96632/E93736.pdf
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/mar/15/civil-liberties-dancing-lughnas a-freedom
- https://www.hticonference.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/gx-lshc-hc-outlook-2018.pdf
About the author
Esther Hallal is a third-year student at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” and a member of Federaţia Asociaţiilor Studenţilor în Medicină din România (FASMR). She is a proactive person who finds great joy in uniting with others to bring ideas to life which aim to revitalize the health-sector. In her current years of studentship, she initiated the first health-innovation workshop on behalf of her University; the aim to empower students from interdisciplinary backgrounds so that they become the next thought and action leaders through experiential learning. She believes that change happens through long-term commitment, perseverance, and ethics.
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