Person-centred care thanks to digital solutions
More person-centred care with fewer people may sound contradictory, Professor Jildau Bouwman admits. But it is possible, she argues in her inaugural lecture. We just need to think differently and make smart use of technology and responsible use of data. ‘Our healthcare system is too complex.’
Jildau Bouwman is Professor by Special Appointment of Digital Health and Systems Biology, a TNO chair at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), focusing on digital solutions in healthcare. The aim is to provide more person-centred care with fewer people. ‘That means health care has to be more efficient.’
This is the crux of her inaugural lecture. ‘Rather than replace people, technology should create more space for patient-healthcare provider interaction’, says Bouwman.
A broad view of health
For Bouwman, person-centred care means focusing on the individual and ensuring a quicker diagnosis and understanding of the person’s overall health, allowing for action to be taken sooner. How can we do this in a way that supports rather than burdens the system? Her research focuses on three main areas: measuring health at the right time with diagnostic innovations; learning about data without losing sight of privacy; and the safe and explainable use of AI.
‘In healthcare, there has been attention for some years to implementing AI that immediately logs relevant information from conversations between the healthcare provider and patient to the patient’s records. Various hospitals are working on this. But no one is coordinating these developments, so we’re not learning from one another’s mistakes.’
System problems
Bouwman is aware that embracing personalised care using digital innovations is not easy. ‘You need lots of different groups because our healthcare system is complex. We’ve got a system problem. I’ll give an example. In healthcare, there has been attention for some years to implementing AI that immediately logs relevant information from conversations between the healthcare provider and patient to the patient's records. Various hospitals are working on this. But no one is coordinating these developments, so we’re not learning from one another’s mistakes. And as a result, great opportunities – such as using AI to support diagnostics and treatment decisions – remain untapped.’
Long-term thinking
For Bouwman, this is a sign that healthcare innovations could be more efficient. ‘It’s no one’s fault. It’s a system problem, so the different groups, both in healthcare itself and on the research side, need to work together. They need to develop an innovation pipeline that ensures that healthcare innovations take legislation into account. And they need to answer the question of what is needed to change the system. I also call on people to think about what should change in our healthcare system to ensure more attention is given to prevention and the individual. Under the new system, disease prevention should become a revenue model. Once you’ve got that better organised, there is room in the system for innovations with a long-term effect.’
See it as a checklist
For Bouwman, the first thing to develop now is using data and technology to measure people’s general health. This is currently being investigated in various studies, including the Dimesa project. ‘That’s in an occupational health setting. If you make an appointment with the occupational health doctor to discuss fatigue, for example, they are likely to focus on burnout, when there could be another physiological cause. We take blood and do extensive tests, including mental health questionnaires. It’s really a kind of checklist. If you do this extensive testing at the start, you can cross off a lot of things. This allows for a faster diagnosis and more targeted action.’
This reduces the cycle for patients and healthcare providers, creating more time for human contact. Bouwman emphasises that responsible use of AI and technology doesn’t have to mean ‘a drop in standards’. ‘We need to keep asking what we think is necessary and acceptable. Confidentiality has to be maintained.’
Bring people together
She sees her inaugural lecture as an important chance to bring people together and share her vision. ‘I can’t do this alone. We need to work together – at TNO, LACDR, the Bio Science Park, with healthcare partners – so it’s not just my inaugural lecture but a networking event too.’
Live stream
The inaugural lecture will be streamed live on 3 July.