The Promise of Personalized Medicine

From Diagnosis to Decisions: A Patient’s Guide to Personalized Care

Perry Dimas Season 4 Episode 6

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0:00 | 28:19

Why is personalized medicine still so difficult for patients to navigate in practice?

In this episode, Perry is joined by patient advocate and Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation co-founder Kathy Giusti for a candid conversation that brings the patient's journey into sharp focus. Drawing from her experience as both a multiple myeloma and breast cancer survivor, Kathy shares what personalized medicine looks like from the patient side—complex, fast-moving, and often overwhelming without the right support systems in place.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

  • Why personalized medicine goes far beyond a diagnosis—and requires deeper understanding through genomic sequencing, biomarker testing, and immune profiling
  • The challenges patients face at diagnosis, including limited time with physicians and information overload
  • How patients can better prepare for doctor visits and advocate for the testing and care they need
  • The critical (and often underutilized) role of patient advocacy groups and navigators
  • Why caregivers play such an important role in decision-making and support
  • The gaps in care coordination—and how fragmented systems create friction for patients
  • Why diagnostic innovation isn’t always visible to patients—and how that impacts awareness and access
  • The importance of collaboration across providers, researchers, payers, and innovators
  • How Kathy built the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation into a “doer” organization driving real change in research and care
  • The need for continuous testing and monitoring throughout the entire patient journey—not just at diagnosis
  • How shared decision-making is reshaping the relationship between patients and providers

The conversation closes with a forward-looking perspective on the future of personalized medicine—where prevention, earlier intervention, and more integrated care models could dramatically improve outcomes and reduce the burden on patients.

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