The health data revolution: promise and pitfalls

Technology has vastly changed how health data is collected and who can access it. These advances in the health care industry have transformed the way health data is collected, managed, and accessed. Electronic data systems enable doctors and other health care professionals to quickly access patient data and securely share medical records with other institutions.

Patients now have unlimited access to their digital health records, allowing them to move records around electronically, link accounts in different systems, and choose who else can access them. This development could potentially lead to a patient-mediated data economy, enabling consumers to benefit from their easily accessible data. The ability to hold health care providers accountable for the quality and cost of care is one of the biggest impacts of these new rules, according to health informaticians.

However, the technology is far from perfect. Health systems’ websites can leak sensitive information, and there are interoperability problems between disparate health systems. Protecting patient privacy while sharing data widely remains a challenge. Various companies are using different methods and technologies to address this challenge.

The stories in this e-book highlight the promise and possibilities of this new frontier of health data, as well as the obstacles that still need to be overcome.