Global medicine: A true breakthrough for healthcare

by Linda Girgis, MD, FAAFP

The world watched with anxiety as Ebola spread across country lines. Here in the US, we responded in shock as this disease appeared first in Dallas and spread to American health care workers. Many didn’t think it would ever happen here, but medicine and disease are truly global now.

Doctors here never diagnosed or treated Ebola before. Hospitals had no guidelines for isolating suspected cases. How did we get prepared? Solutions were found largely through global medicine. The CDC and WHO made grand attempts to educate the global community. We also learned lessons from doctors in other countries and we all shared our wisdom. Without this global effort, the Ebola epidemic could have been much worse.

Research is happening on various diseases all throughout the world. Imagine if we can all share the results of those studies to make people healthier. For example, researchers in Germany last year developed an innovative prosthesis for patients. If we can all share our technology, we can help alleviate suffering. It is hard enough for a patient to lose a limb. But letting best practices cross borders means a patient can receive the best possible care, no matter where it originated.

Global Medicine is easy given the evolution of the internet and social media channels. We do not have to know any high ranking people to share information across countries. Phone tag is now history. We can now harness the power of the virtual world to make global medicine happen. Whoever followed the CDC’s Twitter chats about Ebola saw this happen before their very eyes. We can now connect with hundreds or thousands of people at the same time.

The US obesity epidemic is going global. The rising numbers of those affected are scary. Disease related to obesity is also climbing such as heart disease, osteoarthritis, certain types of cancers, etc. There has never been a greater need to share these statistics globally. The US expertise on obesity-related disease should be shared globally for maximum impact. With global feedback, we can find solutions quickly improving patient outcomes. It is no longer acceptable to just tell a patient to diet and exercise. We need to tell them how and we need to discuss this across country borders.

Doctors are increasingly communicating globally. And this is a good thing for medicine. Why?

• Conferences are becoming increasingly international. We can share practice tips and learn about the latest research
• Social media channels allow doctors to connect directly and instantly to share information and best practices
• Online private, physicians’ only communities allow doctors to share cases without worrying about disclosing private, protected information to the public. We can share protocols, and we can get help on difficult cases. To be able to do this globally is a major break- through in medical communication.
• Increasingly, we are asked to practice evidence-based medicine. But, much research happens in other countries. Global medicine allows us to do online research utilizing medical journals around the globe.

Clearly global medicine is a breakthrough that can improve the lives of millions. Physicians can share research, disease information, and novel treatments. Patients anywhere in the world can benefit from discoveries made in remote labs overseas. In the US, being one of the leaders of medical technology, we can spread our knowledge to ease suffering and cure disease all over the world. Those who do not take advantage of this innovation will soon be left behind.

Editors Note:  Global medicine is discussed regularly inside SERMO.  If you’re an M.D. or D.O. please join us.