Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare

A fascinating combination of patient stories and scientific explanation shedding light on the most promising trend in healthcare today: precision medicine

In Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare, senior researcher at Harvard Business School and former CEO of DecisionRx, a pioneering medication therapy optimization company, James Wallace, delivers an eye-opening new discussion of how cutting-edge precision medicine is transforming the cost, access, and outcomes of modern healthcare. The author relies on real-world experiences that showcase the practical, human benefits of precision medicine and how those benefits can accrue to people from all walks of life.

You'll discover how personalized treatments—those based on a patient's genetic, environmental, and lifestyle attributes—can do more than traditional medicine to combat a wide variety of genetic disorders, chronic illnesses, and treatment inefficiencies. You'll also learn about precision medicine's potential to lower healthcare costs for everyone while improving outcomes.

Inside the book:

• Explorations of how precision medicine can address the triple crisis of cost, access, and quality that currently plagues the US healthcare system
• Unique combinations of compelling human stories and accessible scientific explanations that render a complex subject approachable and relatable
• A compelling argument for how the precision medicine movement can transform the healthcare system and the lives of the people who navigate it every day

Perfect for healthcare, technology, and business professionals grappling with the skyrocketing costs of patient care, Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare is also a must-read for healthcare consumers frustrated by the current, “one-size-fits-all” approach to medicine.

Foreword xvii
Preface xix
Introduction: The Dawn of a New Era xxi
Chapter 1 Michael and Jennifer: A Family’s Fight Against Obesity 1
Michael: The Silent Fighter 3
Jennifer: The Hopeful Realist 6
The Wearable Catalyst 10
A Hopeful Future 19
Chapter 2 Wearable Devices 21
Chronic Conditions: A Growing Concern 22
Wearables and Precision Medicine: Tailoring Health Solutions 28
Costs and Outcomes of Wearable Devices: Traditional vs. Precision Medicine 42
Notes 53
Chapter 3 The Science of Hope 59
Simplifying Precision Medicine 60
How It Works: From Data to Decisions 60
The Patient Perspective: Benefits Made Simple 62
Understanding the Impact of Wearables, Pharmacogenomics, Big Data Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence 65
Macro-Level Cost and Outcomes 70
The Universal Benefits of Precision Medicine 75
Notes 80
Chapter 4 Emily’s Unrest 85
A Life of Contrasts 85
Breaking Point 93
Pharmacogenomics: A Tailored Solution 100
A Renewed Emily 103
Chapter 5 Genetics and Medication Management 107
Medication Failure in Traditional Care 108
Precision Medicine’s Approach: Eliminating Trial and Error 113 The Role of Pharmacogenomics in Precision Medicine 122 Comparison of Cost and Outcomes: Traditional vs. Precision Medicine 129
Notes 134
Chapter 6 Through the Lens Clearly 141
Assembling the Pieces: The History of Medical Innovation 142
Implementing the Insights: From Bloodletting to Precision Medicine 152
Integrating the Outcomes: The Rise of Individualized Care 158
Notes 164
Chapter 7 The Joy and Pain of Being Amy 167
The Value of Work 168
A Lifetime of Shrugged Shoulders 172
A Voice of Concern 175
Treating the Person, Not the Symptoms 176
The Power of Knowing Why 177
It Takes a Village 180
Chapter 8 Pain and Personalized Therapy 185
The Hidden Epidemic of Pain 186
Data as Cure 191
Precision Pain Management in Action 198
Cost and Outcomes of Precision Pain Management 200
Notes 205
Chapter 9 Barriers to Access 209
The Challenges of Precision Medicine 210
Social Determinants of Health and Access to Care 217
Notes 221
Chapter 10 Susan, Family, and Cancer 223
Peggy Sue Got Married 223
The Family Years 225
Tuesday Afternoon 226
A Different Kind of Doctor 228
The Machine That Thinks 229
Moving the Mountain 232
A Life Reclaimed 234
Chapter 11 Artificial Intelligence and the Human Genome 237
The Intersection of Information and Artificial Intelligence 238
Genetic and Genomic Medicine 242
Cost and Outcomes: Advanced Personalized Treatments 252
Companies Shaping the Future of AI-Enabled Medicine 259
Notes 263
Chapter 12 A Vision for the Future 271
What’s Next for Precision Medicine 272
Implications for Traditional Medicine 277
How Precision Medicine Will Shape Personalized Healthcare 283
Notes 287
Conclusion: Making Medicine Personal 289
The Personal Healthcare Journey 291
Common Themes from our Guides: What We Can Learn 294
How You Can Explore Precision Medicine for Yourself 296
Call to Action: A Roadmap for Leaders, Investors, and Policymakers 299
Notes 302
Acknowledgments 303
About the Author 305
Index 307

JAMES WALLACE is the former CEO of DecisionRx, a medication therapy optimization company. He is a Senior Researcher at Harvard Business School. Wallace was previously the Head of Strategy for Anthem, the President of AmeriPlus, a combat pilot with the United States Army, and a strategy consultant with Bain & Company.

In Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare, Harvard Business School senior researcher and the former CEO of a leading medication therapy optimization company, DecisionRx, James Wallace, walks you through an original and eye-opening discussion of how the latest precision medicine technology is upending healthcare as we know it. You’ll learn about how issues surrounding healthcare cost, access, and outcomes are being addressed and solved with precision medicine, and how people from all walks of life can access these extraordinary benefits.

The book details how personalized treatments—those based on a patient’s genetic, environmental, and lifestyle attributes—can do far more than traditional medicine to treat and cure genetic disorders and chronic illnesses, as well as mitigating the impact of treatment inefficiencies. It also explains how precision medicine lowers healthcare costs for patients and providers while improving outcomes for everyone.

Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare tackles the triple crisis of cost, access, and quality that plagues the healthcare system in the United States. It uses a compelling blend of human stories to make a complicated and technical topic easily approachable and relatable. By the end of the book, you’ll discover a convincing and well-researched argument for how the precision medicine movement can transform the healthcare system and the lives of the patients and professionals who navigate it every day.

An essential read for healthcare, technology, and business professionals grappling with the skyrocketing costs of patient care, Precision Medicine, AI and the Science of Personalized Healthcare will also prove invaluable for patients frustrated by the current—and less effective—“one-size-fits-all” approach to medicine.

Praise for PRECISION MEDICINE AI AND THE SCIENCE OF PERSONALIZED HEALTHCARE

“Jim has always had a unique ability to see around the corner. In Precision Medicine, he connects the dots between Big Data, AI, and the most important stakeholder—the patient. This book is a timely and insightful contribution from a leader who’s lived at the intersection of innovation and care.”
—LEONARD SCHLESINGER, Harvard Business School

“Medicine, like warfare, is leveraging information and technology to change not only it’s superficial appearance, but also the fundamental dynamics that drive it. Jim Wallace’s entertainingly informative Precision Medicine, Al and the Science of Personalized Healthcare is a tremendous guidebook to the rapidly arriving new reality within our grasp. A fascinating, important read.”
—STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, General (Ret.), U.S. Army

“Rapid advancements in AI promise benefits across American society. One area of opportunity is health care. In Precision Medicine, Jim Wallace offers a compelling vision of how this technology can improve outcomes, reduce waste, and put patients back at the center of care.

“Focusing on people, stories, and real ways to make our health care system work better, Wallace offers the type of forward thinking that should guide the next generation of health care advancements. Precision Medicine could not have arrived at a better time and will be valuable for years to come.”
—SENATOR TODD YOUNG, United States Senate

“Jim Wallace brings the science of precision medicine to life with the same integrity and clarity he brings to his research at Harvard Business School. This book is more than a compelling argument for healthcare transformation—it’s a deeply human look at how AI and personalization can actually deliver better care for real people.”
—JOHN DRISCOLL, former President, Walgreens U.S. Healthcare