By Gregg A. Masters, MPH

You’ve probably heard this expression before if you’re following the innovation curve in medicine, healthcare and the general pursuit of a healthier America that doesn’t bankrupt the Treasury whether at the public trough or on the balance sheets of private corporations.

Oft attributed to William Gibson, there may in fact be more to this story, see: ‘William Gibson? Anonymous? Apocryphal?‘ piece on Quote Investigator.

While President Barack Obama up-leveled the status of ‘Precision Medicine’ in his State of the Union Address in 2015, this emerging specialty has been developing a body of work over time and perhaps is best understood by the convergence of two mega trends: the birth of genome informed medical practice and the explosion of the ‘digital health economy’ perhaps fueled by the exponential growth and demand for ‘smart phones’.

For context on this emerging industry and specialty see: ‘Preparing for Precision Medicine‘ and ‘Fact Sheet: President Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative‘.