The successful practice of medicine requires a harnessing of collective wisdom. Translational research (often used interchangeably with translational medicine) is a way of thinking about and conducting scientific research in a way that makes results of basic research applicable to patients. When translational research happened mostly within academic centers, conveying new results into practice was easy. Today, answers to problems in complex disease are complicated, incremental and spread across medical disciplines.
Calls for a learning healthcare system have come from across the spectrum and from key thought leaders like former Vice President Joe Biden and GV General Partner Dr. Krishna Yeshwant.
The question is how to craft a learning system within the construct of today’s healthcare system.
Will the traditional research model continue to successfully develop new treatments to diagnose, ameliorate, treat or cure disease? Probably. However, it is unrealistic to believe the current approach will deliver results close to those envisioned for a learning healthcare system or takes full advantage of our understanding of “omics”.
Can a learning system be structured around the myriad of electronic medical record (EMR) solutions that are common across community practices, hospitals and academic medical centers? It’s unlikely. EMRs are unique solutions that are difficult and costly to integrate.
Should responsibility for a learning system rest with government? Of course not. Medicare, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services play an important role in our healthcare system but they lack the mandate to lead such an effort.
Is it enough to ask biopharmaceutical companies to work together toward a common goal? Not likely. Biopharmaceutical companies are responsible to their shareholders and face important challenges requiring their more immediate attention.
I am convinced a learning healthcare system will come from an independent broker focused on aligning science, informatics, incentives and culture in a new approach. A learning healthcare system is a sociotechnical solution. One that will need to solve problems faced researchers, study sponsors and patients in a single environment. Best practices will be embedded in the delivery process and new knowledge captured as an integral product of the delivery experience.
The good news is that the tools needed to create a learning healthcare system exist today. All we have to do is get started building.
Click here to for a copy of the first in a series of Anova Whitepapers on Building a ‘Learning System’ to Accelerate Clinical Development
Contact the author at chris@anovaevidence.com
