Lansdale Letter to the Editor: Data, Democracy, Disease, and the Digital Revolution

The following letter to the editor has been submitted by Harleysville resident Matt Helfrich. To submit a letter to the editor, please email justin.heinze@patch.com.

When I graduated high school in 1994, the only ways to communicate with people were by phone, letter, or in person. The Internet had only begun to emerge with simple text websites and few outside the Information Technology field used email. Research required a trip to the library and if you wanted to learn more about current events, such as a Presidential election, you would need to read the paper or watch the news on TV. Twenty one years later, we find ourselves in a whole new paradigm.

The digital technology "revolution" has taken data from books and papers and put them on the Internet through Smart Phones, iPads, Tablets, and the old PC or laptop where we can access data in seconds. We can pay our bills in 15 minutes by authorizing the payments on the Internet or Smart Phone. Call center employees can pull a complete history of your business with them based on your phone number. Although technology has reduced a computer from the size of a room to the size of a phone, the importance of data and how quickly it can be accessed is the true benefit of that iPad you're holding.

Data is power. The ability to share data or access data so quickly gives our Armed Forces an advantage over any enemy; allows us to collect or access data on suspected terrorists in a matter of minutes; and provide consumers with countless conviences where accessing or sharing data is key. The progress has been impressive.

However, there are two important areas ‎where I feel that we have come up short and could do more with eCommerce - the efficient sharing and use of medical research data and how so many people fail to use social media effectively to participate in the Democratic process. These issues are not the responsibility of the doctors seeking a cure for cancer and other diseases, or your State Representative who is trying to give their constituents as many ways as possible to reach them. These issues are complex and logical processes have to be established before building a website or mobile app to support these issues.

Thousands of doctors across the US and even other countries are finding potential cures to the most deadly diseases, notably cancer. However, what is the process that a doctor should use to share any findings with their peers? Where is the repository where these breakthroughs can be saved and managed by a team of doctors who can analyze all of this data? How does data on successful drug trials get FDA approval and out in the pharmacies as quickly as possible? These questions are difficult ones to address, but not impossible. In PA, Representative Marcy Toepel of Montgomery County has noted the difficulty of sharing data and identifying known treatments for unique diseases like Lupus. She is planning to introduce a bill that would assign a task group to research this issue and deliver a recommendation for the State to act upon. These findings will probably include some type of secure database where doctors can access treatments and "best practices" for rare diseases.

What about democracy and eCommerce? The growth of social media provide us with many ways to interact with our representatives. It also allows us nearly real-time access to information about our State and Federal representatives, including their legislative record and any recent news about them. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of people use social media to denounce or support candidates or political issues using strong, sometimes hateful language. Did you ever wonder how many FaceBook posts have ever changed another person's position on an issue? None. If you feel strongly about an issue, take a few minutes to find out where your representative stands on the issue and, if necessary, email them a well-written letter asking for their support. Use FaceBook for pictures of your cat, dog, wife, or child.

Technology has made it easy to access and share information. But sharing information on medical research is much more complex and therefore requires the best doctors and efficiency experts to work together to identify a solution and workable process to shorten the time between discovery and treatment. Yes, social media provides us with a voice in the political process; try to keep it clean and factual and you will likely make a positive difference.

Matthew Helfrich

Harleysville, PA

Patch file photo.