Data For Good: Healthcare
As many companies have realized the commercial potential of healthcare data that has remained idle within healthcare system databases, AI technology in the healthcare space has begun to expand. Patient contains valuable information that could bring drastic improvements to diagnosis, care, and operations.
Integrated healthcare systems have been collecting and storing patient data since they came into existence. Sanford Health, a large non-profit rural integrated health system has been featured on Harvard Business Review. Their massive amount of data spans across a variety of categories including: admission diagnostic, treatment, and discharge data to online activity between patients and providers.[1] They recognize the potential of their robust database and have begun working with higher-level institutions to find ways to improve the quality and reduce the costs of healthcare. In a win-win situation, health care system databases can be leveraged and utilized effectively, and partnering institutions can use previously inaccessible data to conduct further research that may bring positive impact to healthcare.
Within the cognitive health realm, the Data For Good movement has changed perception on the usage of technology. With the aging population in countries around the world, AI technology (like predictive analysis), has increasingly shown positive results that can slow down dementia and reduce the negative impact of mild traumatic brain injuries with earlier and better diagnosis than traditional tests that have been in place. BrainCheck, a cognitive assessment and management device, is a good example. By taking a holistic view of cognitive functions over a whole lifetime, cognitive assessment and care can have value for concussions in teenagers, substance usage in adults, and dementia in the elderly.
Up until recently, technology adoption has been slow within the healthcare space. If the mountains of data coming from large health care systems and new technology fail to converge through a mutual collaboration, groundbreaking improvements and discoveries may never come to light.[2] Tensility’s Health Data Link offers a solution to this collaboration problem by establishing private data linkages based on individual data governance and data linkage needs.
With these obstacles in mind, there’s a need for the Data For Good movement to push past any privatization of data and technology in order to encourage powerful institutions and technology to work together to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs.
[1] Hsu, Benson S., and MD Emily Griese. “Making Better Use of Health Care Data.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School Publishing, 10 Apr. 2018.
[2] Marshall, Phil, and Conversa Health. “Health Care Bots Are Only as Good as the Data and Doctors They Learn From.” VentureBeat, VentureBeat, 22 June 2018.