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Role of Artificial intelligence in Healthcare

Artificial Intelligence, or AI are still new buzz words to many of us. But according to the advancements in technology that are constantly occurring, they will become the part of society’s everyday conversation in years to come.

If you look at your phone you will find yourself inundated by fantastic AI apps like Siri, Google voice, AlphaGo, etc. — yet the medicine apps might be miniscule to non-existent.

Our health is the cornerstone of our life, yet we seem to take it for granted instead of monitor it on a regular basis. Google updates it algorithm, Apple constantly updates iTunes and we often update our computer and phones. But how many times do we update our diabetes monitoring device or our blood pressure monitoring set? We think of these things as products that hide away in our medicine cabinets and are crafted to just start working whenever we need them. Much like these instruments, we really only check on our health or utilize medical consulting when we need to – when something isn’t right. Why?

The answer may be that there is no such system yet which can forewarn us about our health or keep us updated. This is why the future of healthcare has the potential to be heavily dominated by Artificial Intelligence and predictive medicine.

Let’s take a look at some cases:
-  Did you know that most of the tests that the Doctors refer us are still the same as 10 or 20 years or even more years ago?

-  Did you know that not all blood tests can detect the onset of cancer? It is only when it has  started or progressed significantly that the tests can determine it.

- Even though Doctors have all the patient data yet the analysis and connecting the dots together in a 15 minute patient appointment is simply not possible! BTW, one of the biggest problems  physicians and clinicians have is too much patient information to sort through.

Challenges with Patient’s Data Today

Presently, there is a big gap between patient data and transfer of that specific data back to the patient.  Here are the three main issues that result from that gap:

·        Storage of data: In most cases it is unstructured and insights or outputs are difficult to share. Unstructured data is anything from our texts, emails, social media posts to our patient records.

·        Analytics: It is bit fuzzy as the logic still needs lot of work before it can be analyzed

·        Usage: This is curated to help with automated tasks like sending patient reminders for overdue vaccinations, blood work, or prescription renewal.

With the above and many more challenges in front of us, it is undeniable that Artificial Intelligence will help guarantee streamlined healthcare and awareness in the future.

  Present and Future of AI in Healthcare

AI is used in other sectors like finance and transportation yet the healthcare industry still has yet to formally utilize AI in a productive capacity. The reason for this is largely that healthcare data is extremely complex to work with. However, there may a solution to the issue - the answer lies in how the data is generated and stored. Researchers in the field of AI classify it into two main categories: Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP).

The ML, or deep learning data, contains information pertaining to imaging, age, gender, disease, gene expression, physical symptoms, medication etc.

The NLP consists of narrative text, summaries, notes etc. provided during physical examination or any other service provided by doctors or care staff.

But even with all its limitations, Artificial Intelligence is slowly starting to make an impact in medical imaging with IBM Watson being the trail blazer. Currently, Google DeepMind is working with UK’s National Health Service (NHS) by mining health records for faster health service, and Atomwise is a company that is exploring the frontiers of drug discovery using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

AI still has lot of obstacles to overcome before a smooth path to success can be forged. Data security, data sharing and job consumption are always the most important issues to address for anyone looking to solve any problem using AI. But despite all the limitations, AI will eventually bypass these challenges and will end up becoming an extremely integral part of our daily lives. Irrespective to the opinions, we have to acknowledge the fact that AI has arrived and we should be prepared to implement and embrace it. 

How well do you know these Digital Marketing acronyms?

Digital marketing world is filled with acronyms. So thought to put together a list of most frequently used acronyms. Share or comment on which ones are your favourite.

API	Application program interface
B2B	Business to business
B2C	Business to consumer
CLV	Customer lifetime value
CPA	Cost per acquisition / action
CPC	Cost per click
CPI	Cost per impression
CPL	Cost per lead
CPM	Cost per thousand impression
CPV	Cost per view (see also PPV)
CR	Conversion rate
CRM	Customer relationship management
CRO	Conversion rate optimisation
CTA	Call to action
CTR	Click through rate
GA	Google Analytics
LTV	Life Time Value
MVT	Multivariate testing
PPC	Pay per click
PPL	Pay per lead
PPV	Pay per view
PR	PageRank
PV	Pageviews
QR Code	Quick response code
RT	ReTweet
SaaS	Software as a service
SDK	Software Development Kit
SEM	Search engine marketing
SEO	Search engine optimisation
SERP	Search engine results page
SWOT	Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
UV	Unique visitor
UX	User experience
VM	Viral marketing
VOD	Video on demand

Do you know how Big data can influence Healthcare?

Big Data and Healthcare

Healthcare data is generated from various sources like Electronic Health Records (EHR), sequencing data, analysis of patient datasets, or any pharmacy visits. The main aim of Big data is to use predictive analysis to address any medical issue for the patient. The biggest disadvantage of having this data in a repository is privacy and constant cyber-attacks. But the rising demand for analysis is turning the tide in favor of Big data. The Big-data initiative can revolutionize the healthcare world and in the long run might save lives even before the problem is detected.

What is Digital Health?

Digital health is the union of digital and genomic technologies where the main aim is to empower people to prevent disease. The Apple Watch or FitBit on your wrist or even the Myfitnesspal app on your phone are one of the easiest examples for Digital Health.

Here are some of the key digital technologies impacting healthcare-

• Health 2.0
• Big Data
• Wearables and IoT
• Gamification
• Telemedicine
• Precision medicine
• Personalized medicine
• Medical device data systems
• Software as a medical device (SaMD)
• Cybersecurity

The industry pundits estimate that this digital healthcare revolution can save $300 billion especially in the chronic diseases sector.

One thing that crosses the minds of many is will this Digital transformation kill the independent Physician? Personally, I think that at the very least it will definitely make those flu season or minor ailment visits to your doctor redundant. Today’s world is all about patient empowerment. The more you know about your health the better informed decisions you will make.

But then our data is no longer ours. It is somewhere on the cloud which leads us to another vertical of cybersecurity.

What do you think? Share your experience and insights in the comments box below.

For people who say Telemedicine will fail!

Telemedicine or connected care is where medical information is electronically exchanged from one site to another with the aim to improve a patient’s health. It can be done via video conferencing, e-mail, phone apps etc.

 Telemedicine, E-Health,Cyber Physician are buzz words today but you will be surprised that it has been in use since 18th century when the first electric telegraph was invented by Morse. Since, then physicians have been able to provide medical advice to patients over radio, TV, phone, and now emails.

Telemedicine is an inter-disciplinary area comprising of medical, biomedical, communication and information technology.


The words “Telemedicine” and “Telehealth” often used interchangeably. However, telemedicine refers to a more traditional clinical diagnosis and monitoring while telehealth is for wide range of diagnosis and management, education, and other related fields of health care. An example of Telehealth includes a patient’s blood glucose monitor or heart rate monitor being connected to the Internet to stream data to the physician. So, now you can no longer lie to your doctor about not exercising every day.

Benefits of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is here to stay and the main reason is our changing lifestyle. As our lives gets busier than ever and the waiting room visits gets longer, this new method of healthcare is becoming quite popular. Here are the three biggest benefits as per the experts-

1.      Convenience- One of the major benefits of Telemedicine comes in underserved or remote areas where the nearest place is miles away. It also comes in handy when you need help in the middle of night and the only option is to drive to a 24 hr. urgent care facility.

One of the areas where Telemedicine has been very successful is skin related problems where you need a quick diagnosis. You can reach out to the doctor via a video call and after examination the Doctor can prescribe you a medicine over the call. How neat is that!

  

2.      Bye-Bye waiting rooms- Another example is taking time out from your crazy meeting schedule to visit a doctor. Seems almost quite impossible unless there is an emergency of course. Under these scenarios, it is quite easy to connect with the physicians’ offices.  No need to arrive early for a check-in, fill paper work, and wait. All you need is access to internet at the time of appointment.

3.      Economical- Many physicians charge less for a telemedicine consultation than they would for an in-person. Besides this it provides 24-hour access to a health care provider from any legally permitted location and visits typically cost a flat low rate. Companies like Teladoc, Doctor on Demand have brought down the cost because patients have been able to avoid redundant tests.

Challenges with Telemedicine

Physician resistance is one of the biggest issue that surfaces when it comes to Telemedicine. But it offers physicians the opportunity to reach people that otherwise wouldn’t have and is one of the easiest ways to increase patient volumes = revenue. Additionally, the convenience Telemedicine offers to the patients, it leads to low cancellations and no-shows for physicians.

Another argument against is the accuracy of diagnosis. Lack of face-to-face interaction with the patient raises concerns about the credibility of the diagnosis. There’s no denying that telemedicine is in its infancy but it is definitely growing in the right directions.

Bottom line

Telemedicine or E-Health is fast changing the landscape of health care practice with the rapid development of mobile apps, wearables, patient monitoring cameras. It won’t be an understatement to say that Telemedicine will be 

3 Practical Affiliate Marketing Tips for Life Science Marketers

If you are just starting out with Affiliate marketing then make sure you understand these two acronyms very clearly CPA and CPC. Because these will be the numbers you will live and breathe by when running your affiliate marketing campaigns. Remembering these can be quite daunting so check out my post on commonly used acronyms here.

In Affiliate marketing other publishers and websites promote your business and earn a commission from a sale promoting the product. Let’s say you advertise your product on eBay so if someone clicked on the link and then purchases the product, eBay will get a percentage of the profit. Amazon, Etsy etc. are examples of affiliate programs. Loyalty or coupon code websites are good example of Affiliate marketing. AdSense by Google is also a form of affiliate marketing commonly used by bloggers and websites.

Why people choose affiliate marketing?

The reason people go for affiliate marketing is because these third party sellers get way more traffic than your website. Let’s say, you a brand new website, product page or a microsite and you are new to digital marketing game. In that case, initially getting more than 10K visitors a day might be an uphill climb. In that situation affiliate marketing can come in handy given the fact that you have budget for it.

Powerful affiliate marketing websites are still in their infancy in the life science or biotech market compared to retail industry. Most of the websites used by life science marketers are journals or comparison search engines to list their products and generate leads. It falls more in the category of display advertising rather than affiliate marketing. The reason for the lag is heavy regulation in the industry. But still there are websites, like Biocompare who can send targeted leads to you.

Three tips for a successful affiliate marketing campaign

1.      Transparency & Measurability: According to Forrester Research, total spend for affiliate marketing will cross $4.5 billion, accounting for the 3rd largest marketing budget right after pay-per-click (PPC) and email. But despite high dollar amount, many of us forget to effectively measure the success and effectiveness of the affiliate marketing program. This is something I learned the hard way too. Almost all the affiliate networks have their own way of reporting the CPCs and CTRs. Besides, some of them reluctantly admit that there could be bot clicks. Therefore, it is very important to have a common yard stick or a tool that standardizes reporting through all of them.

In short, invest in a tool to monitor it. If you can’t get a media monitoring software then make sure to set a monthly campaign report in Google analytics for all your affiliate networks.

2.      Select your affiliate partners with care: As with all digital marketing campaigns, targeting is always important. But it becomes even more critical when you are choosing your affiliate network. Ask how well do they profile their visitors? Always ask about the demographics and details of the traffic the affiliate is receiving for example- Do more Key Opinion leaders visit that site or is it more of young researches and technicians?

3.      Check competition thoroughly: See how many of your competitors are advertising on that space. A little bit of competition is always good but make sure that your competitors don’t outsmart you on that platform. Exhaust all means to get to know the target networks well.

So, how has your experience been so far with affiliate marketing? Comment in the below section and share your thoughts.

Translational Medicine:The next big thing

It is known as integration of medicine & science and is also referred by some as an effort to carry scientific knowledge "from bench to bedside" 

Four ways to make your email marketing work

Email Marketing

Being in biotech, I used to find hard looking for information on how I can write a successful email. Most of the information available on the internet or in books is primarily directed to retail industry. We know that the customer base for biotech industry is mostly comprised of PhDs, and Professors or in simple words “Skeptics”. Yes, we all think as scientists in our Biotech world and I mean as really nerdy scientists. I know a good number of my scientists’ friends who would not click on the URL but instead hover the mouse over to find the URL properties & then copy paste it in the search engines to go to the destination.  Not all but some of them do know that they are being cookied. For marketers like us this definitely messes with the CTR. Yes, just in case this came as a surprise to you, so I forewarn you to rethink about the elements before crafting an email. In Biotech, we are marketing to intelligent species who are not impulse buyers.

Here are the key elements which I find are very helpful-
1. Short and sweet- If you don’t like to read that long email, neither would they. Don’t make it product centric please! No one like to know how good your product is but what they want to hear is how will that product help them.

2. Nurture them- This is one element which I find heavily missing from our industry. 99.9% of us just sprays & prays. Quick question to peak your interest in nurturing - What do you do with the contacts who have not opened your email? What's is your strategy for them

3. Pamper your readers- Personalize with their names if available if not then use Dr. Johnson or Dear Colleague. It helps. This usually takes time and in some cases money. Invest in good CRM and at the same time in data cleaning tool. Not only your sales team will be happy, your email metrics will put a smile as well due to personalized messages.

4. Subject line- This is something which I find hardest to work on at times. It is the most important element as it dictates the open rate of the email. For example- Instead of saying "10% off PCR reagents" try "PCR news exclusively for you."

Last but not the least, don’t send an email just for the sake of sending or to cross of the list  Bring creativity into it. Isn’t that what marketing is all about?

Digital Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing – Is it dead?

Traditional marketing is everything but digital when it comes to brand or logo. The marketers place ads for a fee which corresponds to the size of the ad, as well as the medium in which it is published. Traditional marketing uses the following to spread the message:

·         Magazine and newspaper ads

·         Banner ads

·         Direct mail, brochures, flyers

·         Billboards and signs

·         TV and radio commercials

The debate continues if Traditional marketing or print advertising is dead. In today’s world even popular magazines have fallen prey to the Internet age where their circulation has dwindled. But surprisingly, traditional marketing is still working and so is the print. Look around or just check your mail box, it is still filled with coupons or direct mailers. Another advantage that print advertising has over digital is its power to reach local audiences.  One can say that social media marketing can accomplish it too but then remember there are still significant amount of people who are not using social media or are not web savvy. So, it truly depends on who is your target audience. Younger people are more likely to be on the digital compared to the older generation. So, best is to know your market, audience, and your target plan. Based on that include traditional marketing in your overall marketing plan or campaign. It is not dead yet!