Finding a Healthier Approach to Managing Medical Data

One of the formidable challenges healthcare providers face is putting medical data to maximum use. Somewhere between the quest to unlock the mysteries of medicine and design better treatments, therapies, and procedures, lies the real world of applying data and protecting patient privacy. "Today, there are many barriers to putting data to work in the most effective way possible," observes Drew Harris, director of health policy and population health at Thomas Jefferson University's College of Population Health in Philadelphia, PA. "The goals of protecting patients and finding answers are frequently at odds." It is a critical issue and one that will define the future of medicine. Medical advances are increasingly dependent on the analysis of enormous datasets--as well as data that extends beyond any one agency or enterprise.