Since the marketplace is rapidly changing, there is a constant need to develop innovative and measurable programs to improve healthcare quality and reduce costs. Michael Palmer, Aetna’s Chief Innovation & Digital Officer speaking at Partners HealthCare’s Connected Health Symposium, described the important achievements taking place in Aetna’s Innovation Labs www.aetna.com, and their contributions to the connected world.
One of the projects undertaken is enabling participating oncologists to have real-time access to a decision support tool. The tool enables information available from digital libraries to be relayed with available evidence-based treatment regimens. As Palmer explained, “So much research is ongoing in cancer care that physicians need to know the right protocols and the most up-to-date tools to use for evidence-based treatments.”
Another project geared to predicting future diseases uses genetic data to treat people with many conditions. The Innovation Labs are testing specific initiatives related to disease prediction and interventions with the idea to expand programs that show promise. The genomics revolution has enabled researchers and the medical profession to reshape the way individuals are effectively treated in today’s healthcare environment.
As Palmer reports, “One pilot was undertaken to see if the information that is now available through genetic counseling is of value to the patient. It was found that counseling increased consumer engagement with patients undergoing treatment by four percent.”
In addition, Aetna is using big data analytics to predict which patients are at risk for metabolic syndrome. This specific data looks at such factors as blood glucose, cholesterol, waist circumference, and adherence to medication.
“It has been found that adults with three or more of these risk factors are five times as likely to develop diabetes as a person who does not have metabolic syndrome and twice as likely to develop heart disease”, according to Palmer. “This is important to help predict who in the population is at higher risk for future strokes or diabetes.”
He explained how the Innovation Labs have teamed up with GNS Healthcare to use computer models to predict the risk for metabolic syndrome among groups and individuals down to specific risk factors. The computer models were able to create personalized exercises, provide instruction on how to manage weight, and develop care management programs for individuals.