Trends "future directions" Healthcare overview Filetype:pdf

·      Data Mining Applications in Healthcare, Page 1-9

http://www.himss.org/files/himssorg/content/files/jhim/19-2/datamining.pdf  

·      Current Status of Drug Delivery Technologies and Future Directions, Page 1-14

https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=http://www.pharmanet.com.br/pdf/drugdelivery.pdf

·      Medicinal use of cannabis in the United States: Historical perspectives, current trends, and future directions  Page 1-16

http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/cmu/JOM_5-3-03-Carter.pdf

·      The Survey of Data Mining Applications And Feature Scope, Page 1-12

http://arxiv.org/pdf/1211.5723.pdf

First important thing I learned is about the use of data mining in healthcare field. Data mining has its application over all the fields, but in the healthcare its use is very unique. In the healthcare field, there is huge amount of data. It is too complex to handle and analyze these data with traditional method. Data mining makes it easier and converts data into useful information and applicable into decision making process. Today it is useful in major areas like management of healthcare, diagnosis and treatment evaluation, and detection of fraud and abuse. 

I also learned that future of pharmaceutical drugs will be very different than today. Today mainly drugs are administered in human body via oral, intramuscular, trans-dermal and drugs mainly composed of chemical molecules. With the expanded knowledge of human genome, biotech companies are rapidly developing protein and peptide based drugs. In the next 20 years, half of the newly invented drugs will be protein based bio-drugs. Although these bio-drugs are expected to be safer than traditional chemical drugs, the challenge for the scientist is to decide route of administration or delivery system. Because these are bio-products, they does not cross cell membrane easily and they easily get degrade in the acidic environment like stomach. 

Finally, the third helpful thing I learned about the future of cannabis. In Unites States of America, cannabis used robustly in its early times, but in 1937 it was banned based on the recommendation of American Medical Association. Despite of its negative impact on the society, American College of Physicians, NIH and other reputed organization has shown interest for its resuming use for the medical purpose. Research is going towards the separating the therapeutic effect of cannabis from its unwanted effects.