Genomics and Personalized Medicine
Sequencing of human genes, which influence body characteristics, leads to significant healthcare transformations. Genomics determines how a person can respond to therapy and what diseases can occur, making treatment more individualized (Heggie, 2019). Consequently, medicine will shift its focus from treatment to prevention, personalized according to the human genetic code (Heggie, 2019). The roles of service providers will also change, primarily requiring an expansion of knowledge in genetics and computer science for all specialists (Vicente et al., 2020). The critical task of clinicians will be to combine genetic information with the patient’s treatment plan, which will require close cooperation with scientists and researchers (Vicente et al., 2020). Nurses will need knowledge and skills to advise, educate, and interpret genetics issues, especially in communicating with patients (Greco et al., 2012). Significant changes will occur in the role of pharmacists as genes determine medication response and new pharmaceutical developments are required (Heggie, 2019). In personalized medicine, multidisciplinary cooperation between specialists is also essential.
Significant changes will occur in the sphere of medical informatics. Electronic health records will contain more personal information, and health information technology (HIT) specialists and nurses will have to provide access for specialists and patients to constantly and quickly exchange data. Moreover, the activities of HIT professionals will be aimed at developing practical tools for collecting information and analyzing it, for instance, by using artificial intelligence (Vicente et al., 2020). Such changes will lead to greater effectiveness of medicine in supporting public health.
Social Media in Healthcare
Society widely uses social media for cooperation, message and information exchange, and community building. Their application in healthcare can accelerate data sharing between specialists, which is necessary for the coordination of research (Venegas-Vera et al., 2020). Social media also makes it possible for patients and providers to communicate. A positive effect is also the dissemination of vital information to maintain health and prevent disease. At the same time, an adverse outcome is possible – false information, which can negatively affect health (Venegas-Vera et al., 2020). Another harmful implication is information overload and negative patient feelings (Benetoli et al., 2019). Moreover, from an ethical point of view, social networks carry a high risk of violating privacy and erasing professional boundaries in patient-physician communication. Therefore, it is essential to be careful when using social media in healthcare.
References
Benetoli, A., Chen, T. F., & Aslani, P. (2019). Consumer perceptions of using social media for health purposes: Benefits and drawbacks. Health Informatics Journal, 25(4), 1661-1674. Web.
Greco, K. E., Tinley, S., & Seibert, D. (2012). Essential genetic and genomic competencies for nurses with graduate degrees. American Nurses Association.
Heggie, J. (2019). Genomics: A revolution in health care? National Geographic. Web.
Venegas-Vera, A. V., Colbert, G. B., & Lerma, E. V. (2020). Positive and negative impact of social media in the COVID-19 era. Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, 21(4), 561-564. Web.
Vicente, A. M., Ballensiefen, W., & Jönsson, J. I. (2020). How personalised medicine will transform healthcare by 2030: The ICPerMed vision. Journal of Translational Medicine, 18(1), 1-4. Web.