Analytics in medical diagnostics
For a long time, prognoses of diseases have depended on doctors’ medical experience, identifiable symptoms and diagnostic procedures. Though the process still largely remains cognitive, but over the years it has been empowered with more information sources supporting better empiricism, logic & rationality.
Analytics has been a game changer, largely impacting medical diagnostics with better and efficient technologies & processes, higher accuracy & predictability in outcomes, thus saving precious time where human life matters
When generalised lab tests/standards fail due to their limitations, analytics helps with expansive cross-geographical validations, with variance of more population sets taken into account. If bilirubin count in certain populations is slightly higher than the standard prescribed in the results for healthy people, doctors look up to analytics as their messiah to get a more holistic understanding of the variability, using normalisation techniques
Advanced analytics also helps in predicting relapses or recurrences of certain life threatening conditions/complications in certain populations, based on historical data.
For chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension where besides lab tests, diagnosis is also on lifestyle, analytics provides insights on individual behavioural patterns, response to medication etc thus helping practitioners plan better treatment for their patients.
Serving more as an enabler, today advanced analytic techniques are used for evidence based treatments leading to better clinical outcomes. All this to keep mankind healthier & happier in times to come