We have noticed much confusion among our broad digital health/virtual-first care network about the definitions of conventional, lifestyle, functional and alternative medicine. To add to the confusion, each picks and chooses techniques from the others to incorporate into their approach. For more than a decade, our team has focused on
We’ve compiled some incidence, prevalence and growth estimates for selected autoimmune diseases (AIIDs) as a follow up to our previous post. In that post, we surveyed the sorry state of US national autoimmune incidence & prevalence data. Summary: Per the May 2022 NIH Report: Enhancing Autoimmune Research the US has
Slow & Uncoordinated Path to Diagnosis & Treatment Today, autoimmune patient journeys are typically long, convoluted, and frustrating; from first awareness of symptoms to scheduling medical visits, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. Since many autoimmune & inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) emerge in youth or middle age and last a lifetime, the
Back in 2019, pre-Covid pandemic, we already saw attractive investment & business opportunities to meet the large and growing need in autoimmune and chronic immuno-inflammatory diseases. Despite being as prevalent as cancer and growing faster, these diseases remain invisible: under-recognized, under-researched and under-served. In particular, multiple medical specialty silos within
We are here republishing our 2014-17 Stanford MedX autoimmune presentations, plus unpublished material from our 2015 Autoimmune Workshop. As we develop our 2023 State of Autoimmunity Report, we’ve been revisiting our previous analyses. For another example, see our 2016-19 patient-centered vision and business opportunities post. In 2015, Bonnie conducted an
Since 2010, we have sought autoimmune disease (AIID) incidence and prevalence data. Despite efforts by independent organizations like AARDA/AA, AIR and many single disease groups, we never found total national autoimmune statistics. NIH/CDC statistics bury AIIDs within siloed categories: Arthritis, diabetes, or by medical specialty: rheumatology, neurology, dermatology, endocrine, etc.
Digitally enabled, virtual first care (V1C) offers a potential solution to convoluted autoimmune patient journeys. V1C especially offers significant advantages for autoimmune and inflammatory disease (AIID) patients in accessing specialized care. Virtual specialist practices get patients to a rheumatologist or gastroenterologist much faster (days rather than months) and with less
Many Convoluted Stages Along AIID Patient Journeys The convoluted journey of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) has many stages. Each stage presents challenges that may cause patients to drop out before they get the care they need. Unlike cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, there are no population screening
Invisible Epidemic of Autoimmune Disease As we continue to illuminate the hidden costs of the long-ignored epidemic of autoimmune disease (AIID), we must shine a light on the highest autoimmune cost: Specialty pharmaceuticals. Current data largely underestimate total AIID costs, and accurate numbers are few and far between. Through our
A May 2022 NIH Report on autoimmune research makes clear why the AIID epidemic remains invisible & silent.
