The conventional prescriptions in your future could be doled out by an ATM-like robot, remotely controlled by a provider or algorithm to ensure the right doses at the right times. Or your clinician could consult your genetics test to determine the most appropriate drugs for your specific gene profile.

A few months ago, Harvard and MIT scientists found a way to much more accurately forecast an individual's risk score for five deadly diseases. They achieved this by looking at DNA changes at 6.6 million locations in the human genome and applying a sophisticated algorithm. But even genetic tests that analyze only parts of the genome -- like the one I took -- can provide valuable information about predisposition to dementia, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and other conditions. Yet again, advances in medical technology may hold benefits for me, and for Harriett.