By Focusing on Reducing Disease Risk, “Desktop Medicine” will Transform the Practice of Medicine
Gone are the days when a doctor’s only way of helping patients is by treating the disease after symptoms have started. Instead, a new approach to medicine, called “Desktop Medicine” is emerging, in which the emphasis shifts from diagnosing diseases and treating symptoms to identifying risk-factors for medical conditions such as hypertension and osteoporosis, and intervening before they develop. The commentary appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“Desktop medicine,” a model defined by Jason Karlawish, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, involves clinicians continuously gathering risk factor information – from a patient’s medical history, electronic medical records or recent office visit – and combining it with clinical studies about disease risk. Once the patient’s risk has been assessed, the physician can provide the appropriate intervention to prevent the onset of disease, rather than treat the disease once it is fully developed.
People living on small islands and territories face mounting climate impacts, but little is known about their stance on the issue. Research from a team including Parrish Bergquist, assistant professor of political science, aims to fill those gaps.
Penn researchers developed a system that allows light to be guided through a tiny crystal, undeterred by bumps, bends, and back-reflections. Their findings pave the way for robust, controllable light-based chips, smarter routing for data links, and more stable lasers.
A West Philadelphia High School student practices the drum as part of a July summer program in partnership with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships and nonprofit Musicopia.
A summer of student enrichment, from big ideas to bold beats
The Netter Center for Community Partnerships finished its summer of programming for West Philadelphia students, impacting 640 students and six University-Assisted Community Schools.
