GlobalSCAPE : Democratizing Health Care with Globalscape EFT

According to Stanford University School of Medicine's 2018 Health Trends Report, healthcare democratization is 'characterized by two major factors: the distribution of data and the ability to generate and apply insights at scale. It promises a world in which patients-armed with data, technology, and access to expertise-can take charge of their own well-being and manage their own health.'

The report identifies three main trends in technology that are driving the change in how doctors, researchers, and patients share information:

1) Intelligent computing

2) Data sharing

3) Security, privacy, and safety

New technologies have expanded the marketplace making patient data more readily available and shared by more than just practitioner and patient. The rise in Big Data and Analytics is projected to grow faster in healthcare than in sectors like manufacturing, financial services, or media, according to an International Data Corporation (IDC) report. The technology fueling Big Data and Analytics is what is ultimately feeding the capacity for healthcare professionals to learn from large observational datasets. Physicians will be able to customize treatment plans and even drugs to patients through the use of genetic testing, such as the outbreak of genomic research.

Big Data & Genomic Research: The Double Helix to Revolutionizing Healthcare

In 1990, the Human Genome Project launched an international research effort to sequence the human genome and identify the genes it contains. It was completed in 2003 and cost roughly $3 billion. The underlying work has led scientists to understand the genetic blueprint of building a person. Ultimately, it has had a major impact in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and the life sciences. Your genome is your DNA. If your DNA was stretched out end-to-end, it would comprise a six-billion-letter code standing 6 feet tall. The ability to process big data sets, such as genomics, has transformed the way we look at disease and it is the driving force across healthcare systems today.

The Human Genome Project took 13 years and a thousand scientists to complete the first sequencing of the human genome. Technology has shifted this timeline. Today, scientists can map a genome 30 times, for error scanning, within 2 days. In addition, the cost of having your genome tested has dropped significantly. In 2007, sequencing your genome cost $2 million, but now those tests are available at a mere $1,000 per person, making personalized healthcare treatments more available and affordable. Genomic research can help explain certain diseases that run in your family, which leads to making informed decisions that support a more personalized healthcare approach. From heart health to sleep apnea, your DNA can provide you and your doctor with additional information to manage your health. This is a clear representation of the democratization of healthcare.

Complying with the Democratization of Healthcare

Healthcare democratization is tearing walls down in the healthcare industry by making healthcare more accessible, affordable, and personalized. Driving the movement in Big Data are advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and the ongoing partnerships of healthcare and technology companies joining in efforts to ensure data privacy and security.

There are still obstacles to overcome. Patients still face roadblocks in obtaining their own health data. An organization named 'Ciitizen' launched a Patient Record Scorecard survey, where they graded more than 200 healthcare providers in a scoring system. More than half (51%) of the healthcare providers graded were scored as being 'non-compliant with HIPAA Rights of Access-or else needed 'significant intervention to become compliant'.' The movement of Big Data is not only difficult to achieve for an organization but also, many healthcare providers find trouble with increased regulation and privacy around this data.

Leverage Globalscape's expertise to empower your healthcare organization's transfer and movement of patient data in a compliance-ready fashion using Enhanced File Transfer (EFT). In a recent Use Case, learn how a leading genomic sequencing provider worked with Globalscape's engineers to implement EFT Arcus to securely and compliantly transfer genome research with their trading partners.