Data science has the potential to transform the healthcare industry by providing insights that can improve patient outcomes. However, according to research, life sciences companies still lag behind cross-industry leaders in digital maturity by a factor of two to three times across key dimensions of strategy, culture, organization and capabilities, with no clear signs of catching up.
Without shifting the mainstream culture to a digital focus, the true potential of data science cannot be properly realized. Data scientists too often lack the more nuanced skills to work in healthcare and life sciences, preventing the data that is captured from being properly used to benefit patients.
Although in some ways healthcare is at the forefront of the technological revolution, too often a lack of cultural readiness hinders the potential of truly revolutionary technologies. Data science has become imperative in recent years to be able to predict diseases, to analyze information during drug development or during clinical trials, or even in real time with the advent of wearable technologies that enable personalized monitoring and early detection of abnormalities through readily available health data of an individual when they decide.
Yet, at the same time, those in the healthcare sector often view these technological advances with trepidation, or are concerned about the technology itself and unaware of its potential benefit, have concerns about its potential cost, or even about its practical integration into existing services. This thinking meant that healthcare faced a barrier, so often on the cusp of accepting change but not yet delivering real benefit to people.
Other sectors have embraced this data science revolution more readily. The supermarket and retail sectors are such examples. Supermarket loyalty schemes offer a new source of historical and highly accurate shopping habits for people. This means that retailers are able to offer personalized deals, transparency into spending habits and predictability, which benefits the overall consumer shopping experience. These same benefits have already been seen in healthcare, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining this supermarket information with data on COVID infection rates and outcomes linked by location allowed initial insights into the power of bringing together these large but diverse datasets.
The power of data science, the future of healthcare
Data is intertwined in the healthcare and life sciences industry now, more than ever. Data science fuels innovation in drug discovery and development, accelerating the pace of scientific discovery. At a population level, the NHS Datastore, for example, has been key to ensuring that resources are concentrated where they are most needed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at a research level, data and machine learning are helping to drive of a new understanding of genomes and the broader field of genomics. Working in a digitally focused way avoids the limitations of traditional approaches of extended time to deliver results and cost and resource requirements, giving way to faster responses in an efficient manner.
With the advent of AI, the potential revolution to change our daily lives seems limitless. As AI continues to evolve and become more deeply integrated into healthcare systems, it is poised to transform the way we diagnose, treat and manage disease. AI-powered tools and solutions can help make healthcare more personalized, efficient and effective, leading to improved patient outcomes and a more sustainable healthcare system. The true potential of data and artificial intelligence has long been heralded as the solution to many of the healthcare and life sciences industry’s problems, but many in the field are failing to use data effectively to inform decisions about the most important aspect of care: patients .
As data science continues to evolve, its impact on the healthcare industry will only grow. Data-driven insights have the potential to empower clinicians to make informed decisions, improve patient outcomes, and revolutionize the way we view healthcare delivery. The future of healthcare is inextricably linked to the power of data science, promising a more personalized, efficient and sustainable healthcare system for all.
However, the true benefits of data in healthcare and life sciences cannot be realized until the wider sector learns the importance of collaboration and the need to take the patient experience into account. In addition, robust data governance frameworks are essential to help protect patient privacy and ensure equitable access to health services. Transparency in data collection, analysis and decision-making is also necessary to build trust among patients and healthcare providers.
