It is true that the predictive, personalized, pre-emptive, and participatory (P4) medicine, also known as systems biology, aims at reducing the disease burden by providing holistic, cost-effective care. This is a revolutionary approach in healthcare, contrary to traditional approaches that focused on collective treatment rather than prevention and individualized care. However, only the knowledge of P4 medicine is not enough for its successful implementation in practice. The success of this approach is also contingent on other mitigating factors. While predicting the signs of disease and developing individualized care are important aspects of P4 medicine, it is also important to understand the factors that cause the changes in healthcare needs ( March & Schott, 2017). The etiology and pathophysiology of the disease are influenced by the individual’s genetic predisposition, the disease causative agent, among other risk factors. Identification of these factors and designing care based on the evidence from scientific and clinical studies is, therefore, a cornerstone of P4 medicine.
This view resonates with the conclusion of a study by March & Schott, (2017) that P4 medicine can be considered as a continuum of a care plan that begins with the prediction and identification of predisposing risk factors and ends with the inclusion of the patient in their design of diagnosis and management plan. Personalized and participatory medicine is in line with the autonomy principle of medical ethics. Patient autonomy and participation are important in the prognosis and prevention of future disease conditions. In this regard, the holistic approach to P4 medicine requires collaboration and synergy between the healthcare professional, the patient, and the policymakers. As also pointed out in the discussion, the role of healthcare providers and nurse practitioners (NPs) in the integration and implementation of P4 medicine in clinical practice cannot be ignored. The NPs are at the center of propelling the P4 medicine approach by educating other healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and patients on the importance of embracing a holistic model of care. Based on the ideas fronted in the discussion, I agree with the conclusion that P4 medicine is the modern day transformation in healthcare provision.
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Reference
March, R., & Schott, C. (2017). Personalized/Precision Medicine/Personalised Healthcare: the art of giving different names to the same thing?
