PCGC 2024 (Day 1) - PRECISION CARE AND AI: TRANSFORMING HEALTH
PCGC Day 1: Welcome Address
Keynote Precision Medicine Opportunities and How Do We Prepare Ourselves by Prof Toh
Precision Medicine and more specifically precision oncology is very much mainstream across so many cancers by the 21st century and that targeted therapy in oncology continue to grow and many clinical trials continue to grow. What is clear is that there are drugs that will not work if the right biomarker is not present, and that the search for more biomarkers is still an important focus. Next generation sequencing, protein biomarkers and beyond play important roles in defining the right drug for the right cancer patient to produce the best outcomes. Also it is important to emphasize that chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of treatment for many cancers. Also it is a misconception that chemotherapy carries the majority of side effects whereas targeted therapies and immunotherapies do not.
Prof Toh will discuss both molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy and cell therapy, and also how the future will potentially look in the area of designing more precise drugs to improve outcomes across so many cancer.
Using AI to Enhance Coordination of Care in Chronic Disease Management by Dr Rosa
Value-based care prioritizes quality over quantity, making coordinated, patient-centered approaches essential, especially for those with chronic diseases who frequently interact with multiple care providers. Artificial intelligence has the promise to bridge gaps between primary and tertiary healthcare, fostering value-based care to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. This talk will highlight a few use cases of development of AI models at A*STAR in diabetes and wound care management, challenges in implementation, and the transformative potential of AI to make coordinated care accessible, scalable, and impactful.
Mr Yoann and Dr Praveen
Mr Yoann Sebastien Sapanel: Realising the Promise: Translating Digital Health Efficacy into Real-World Effectiveness
Digital health technologies have shown promise in controlled trials, but translating efficacy into real-world effectiveness remains challenging. This talk explores the gap between digital health's potential and its practical impact, examining barriers like implementation hurdles, user adoption, and integration with existing systems. We'll discuss strategies to bridge this divide, including adapting technologies to diverse clinical settings and demonstrating clinical and economic benefits in real-world environments. Our goal is to accelerate the shift from innovative digital health solutions to those delivering measurable improvements in patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency at scale. This discussion will offer valuable insights for healthcare professionals, technologists, and policymakers aiming to unlock digital health's full potential in everyday healthcare settings.
Dr Praveen Deorani: Personalised Digital Interventions for Patient Behaviour Change: Using Case Studies from Patients with Hypertension and Post Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI)
A smart coaching engine is developed for hypertension and post-AMI (Acute Myocardial Infarction) patients. It customizes the tele-intervention, health education and encouragement to patients based on the type and acuity of the disease or medical event, as well as the patient’s personality and learning styles. Vitals and other digital biomarkers values captured via telemonitoring systems will be processed according to patient’s medical acuity, and interventions optimized for various segments of the patient population. Personalized encouragement and reminders will help to change the patients’ behaviour so that they take greater ownership of their health on a learning and sustainable basis. Personalized education and reinforcement will further empower them to make the right and sustained lifestyle and health-related choices. This coaching engine will be extended to diabetes and Schizophrenia in near future.
