Challenge and Resolution

Challenge

In the last decade studies in developed countries showed that the time period required for diagnosing rare diseases (from the first symptoms until identifying the illness) is significantly long compared to the standard diagnosing period for other diseases. The average time for diagnosing a rare diseases is 4.8 years! In that period, a patient meets approximately 7 doctors, and gets 2-3 misdiagnosis.

That means that at any given time millions of patients are undiagnosed worldwide for several years- A major problem both for patients as well as their physicians.

The delay is caused by several problems in the healthcare system:

1. Hierarchy in modern healthcare systems delays the patient's diagnose and treatment. The process becomes exhausting and excruciating for the patients. Some never make it until the end of the process.
2. Primary Doctors are guided by the maximum probability concept, which insures diagnosing common illnesses, but causes indifference towards Rare/Neglected Diseases.

Due to the long diagnosing period of rare diseases in the healthcare system, the efficiency of the treatment decreases.

Estimates demonstrates that primary physicians in developed countries have, at any given time, a significant number of patients with rare diseases: there are 350 million people with RD worldwide: 30 million in the USA, 30 million in Europe, 3.5 million in the UK, 3 million in Canada, 2 million in Australia, and more.

Diseases that are well known in some parts of the world may be rare in other countries. They may be unrecognized for a long time, like rare diseases. Therefore we include rare diseases with underdiagnosed diseases under one category, Neglected Diseases.

Children are prominently affected by neglected diseases. About 50% of rare diseases patients are children. 5000 out of 7000 rare disease types are children's diseases. Many rare diseases appear early in life, and about 30 percent of children with rare diseases will die before reaching their fifth birthday.

NDC Medicine Resolution

An innovative and intelligent approach for diagnosing medical mysteries provides a shortcut between community healthcare and the expert facilities specializing in exclusive medical fields.

Smart Method Principles

1. Smart Presentation: Using a Problem- Oriented approach, checking charts, and a moderator supervising each case we make sure the case is presented in a way that allows solving it quickly- from years, to days.
2. Intelligent choice: Using AI to choose the best diagnostic suggestions between multiple options.
3. Diagnosis Testing: The moderator aids with applying for testing in expert medical facilities specializing in exclusive medical fields.
4. Diagnostic talent: Our point system allows tracing doctors who excel at diagnosing case challenges in the platform, and rewards them with higher ranking on the website. This rank will be crucial as NDC Medicine is forming a team of expert physicians specializing in diagnosing neglected diseases that can offer their services to patients both online and offline.

Forecast

Gaining experience and skills in presenting patients online will lead to more accurate diagnostic suggestions made by peers. Practicing online diagnosis of challenging cases will create a team of expert doctors who excel in diagnosing neglected and rare diseases within a short period of time- the right diagnosis can be suggested within days.