Baird Global Healthcare Report 2016-2017 Global Healthcare Report | Page 9
As genome sequencing technology
advances, corporates will gain more and
better insight into existing genetic
mutations, appropriate therapies for
patients, and whether clinical studies are
suitable for those patients. Ultimately, the
cost and the accuracy of this technology
must continue to improve if it is to
become widely adopted.
There’s a lot of discussion about the possibility of genome
sequencing over the course of a lifetime – at birth, perhaps at
several other points. Obviously, there are a lot of ethical issues
and cost implications for this. First, is the test going to be cheap
enough to allow for this? What’s the true benefit of this type of
testing? Who will pay? Is it an out-of-pocket expense, or would
it fall to a commercial payer, a government payer or some
type of a foundation?
MANISH GUPTA
Patients, payers and healthcare providers will all benefit as technology and conventional healthcare continue to converge.
This ongoing evolution is already yielding a number of
compelling, transformative monitoring technologies. The
miniaturization of monitoring devices – such as those included
in popular wearables – allows individuals to have an array of
capabilities embedded in a simple device that enables users to
get and remain healthy. Additionally, innovative remote patient
monitoring technologies are playing a key role in minimizing
“never events” in hospitals. These developments benefit both
patients and healthcare providers and save billions of dollars
in healthcare expenditures.
DAVID SCHECHNER
Numerous areas of Biotech – gene therapy, the microbiome,
others – haven’t developed a drug yet, but there is significant
enthusiasm for these areas among companies, investors
and other players in the industry.
At the end of the day, though, the biggest beneficiary is
the patient. Payers, corporates and healthcare systems will
find ways to adjust to the structural changes in their service
models, but the Healthcare industry exists to improve
human health. The goal of all of these developments is,
ultimately, to save lives.
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