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Long and Frustrating Autoimmune Patient Journeys (Part 1)
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
Specialty Pharmaceuticals: The Highest Autoimmune Cost
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
The Total Cost Burden of the Autoimmune Epidemic
The Problem: We Don’t Really Know! The problem with estimating the total cost burden of the autoimmune disease (AIID) epidemic is that we really don’t know! A May 2022 NIH report validates our long-held belief that missing and inconsistent data for autoimmune diseases (AIIDs) are at the root of the
Five Medical Philosophies: What Are They?
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
The NIH Report on Autoimmune Disease, Part 2: Enhancing Research
NIH Report Shows Why The AIID Epidemic is Invisible An NIH research report on autoimmune disease, published May, 2022, explains why, despite affecting more Americans than cancer, autoimmune and immunoinflammatory diseases (AIIDs) remain an invisible epidemic. Autoimmunity is an orphaned research field of patchwork studies of some 80-150 individual diseases.
The NIH on Autoimmune Disease: An Invisible Epidemic
A May 2022 NIH Report on autoimmune research makes clear why the AIID epidemic remains invisible & silent.
Will Long COVID Change the Game for Autoimmune Diseases, too? Part 1
Will long-COVID activists, especially practitioner-patients, finally force healthcare systems, clinicians and medical researchers to confront post-viral and similar chronic syndromes they have shrugged off for decades? In keeping with our mission, will a focused response by healthcare systems and researchers to post-COVID syndrome help illuminate the invisible epidemic of autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders?
Halloween with an Autoimmune Disease
Halloween is a hard holiday for a restrictive autoimmune diet, but these restrictions shouldn’t have to get in the way of participating in holiday festivities. Here are a few of out favorite autoimmune-friendly Halloween treats to get you and your kids in the Halloween spirit!
The State of Autoimmunity 2016 — A Progress Report: Part 2 (re-posted from Tincture)
In Part 2 of The State of Autoimmunity 2016, we will examine how established and emerging companies are utilizing advances in technology. More importantly, we describe how these companies and chronic disease management platforms can help create individualized autoimmune care. In Part 1, we discussed autoimmune disease as an untapped
Digital Health & Chronic Disease Care Post COVID (Part 2)
The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems’ responses to it have been the biggest disruptors in digital health’s 30-year history. We hope this will be the biggest disruptor for a few decades to come! Therefore, this is a unique moment of opportunity for digital health. Especially for digital and virtual-first chronic
Digital Health & Chronic Disease Care Post-COVID (Part 1)
The COVID-19 pandemic and response is transforming healthcare in many ways, with unpredictable consequences. In fact, the pandemic and healthcare systems’ responses to it are the biggest disruptors in 30 years of digital health. Hopefully, this will be the biggest disruptor for a few decades to come! We see the
The State of Autoimmunity 2016 — A Progress Report: Part 1 (re-posted from Tincture)
Applying Technology to Empower Patients. 2016’s trends gave us glimmers of towards crossing the autoimmune abyss and achieving the vision of individualized autoimmune care. What was the state of autoimmunity in 2016, that unforgettable year full of positive and negative events? One positive development was increasing awareness of the unmet