Patients benefit from networked Health Data

Access to comprehensive Health Data is crucial for the development of new treatment strategies, especially for rare and chronic diseases. This data supports early detection, enables treatments that are specifically tailored to the individual and advances research by revealing patterns that would otherwise go undetected. Connected Health Data enables personalized medicine tailored to each person’s genetic and health characteristics. You can find out more about Health Data and how to share it

Another important aspect is that the collection and sharing of Health Data already has positive effects for patients. Unnecessary examinations can be avoided if medical data is available digitally, easily shared between different professionals and patients give their consent. A practical example of this is the digital X-ray image, which in many cases cannot be transferred digitally from the hospital to the family doctor due to technical hurdles. If this data could simply be shared, duplicate examinations would be prevented, time and costs would be saved and the burden on patients would be reduced. An improved flow of information increases efficiency in the healthcare system and improves the quality of patient care. If Health Data is available much more quickly, healthcare professionals will also know exactly what treatments and medications have been administered so far, and dangerous interactions will be recognized automatically.

Data protection and the security of personal health information have the highest priority. Roche takes security measures to protect the integrity and confidentiality of patient data very seriously. This includes strict access controls and comprehensive encryption techniques. You can read more about this

Two examples from Roche’s work that show how sharing Health Data can significantly improve diagnosis and patients’ daily lives:

Living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can be a daunting challenge, with everyday risks such as assistive device failure, falls and respiratory complications. People with SMA need all the support they can get to maintain their independence as the disease progresses.

In collaboration with domo.health, SMA Switzerland and the University Hospitals of Lausanne and Bern, we are developing a comprehensive digital health solution for people with SMA. This AI-powered digital health solution leverages connected medical devices and mobile apps to monitor respiratory function, enhancing management and prevention of emergencies, and enabling timely preventive measures when necessary.

Roche-sponsored oncology platforms analyze genetic data to enable individualized therapies. The specific genetic characteristics of each individual tumor are compared with data from thousands of other tumors. This involves investigating which treatments were successful for which tumor characteristics. Based on this, a customized treatment is determined – which can lead to more effective results with fewer side effects. This can make treatment less stressful for cancer patients. You can find out more about this topic

Sharing anonymized Health Data plays a crucial role in advancing medical research and improving patient care. It is especially important for people with chronic and rare diseases to share their Health Data to support the development of new therapies. By making their data available for research purposes, people are helping to improve treatment options and reap the benefits of personalized medicine. 

You can read more about anonymization and the protection of Health Data in medical research