There is no denying that the average health care organization is becoming far more digitally centric with the passing of each year, driven by the rapid proliferation of new tools and trends that set the bar higher for each competitor in the field. Although one could argue that cloud computing and mobility are the two most challenging, yet advantageous trends and technologies entering into the modern hospital, leaving big data out of this discussion would be impossible.
Cloud computing has enabled medical organizations to deploy a wider range of technologies than ever before and at a far lower cost, improving the flexibility and interoperability of systems in a rapidly shifting market. Mobility has had significantly positive impacts on the average health care provider as well, helping to bolster the efficiency of operations, boost engagement among staff members and ensure optimal patient care.
Big data, though, is working at a far higher scale, as officials in medical-related agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stressed the importance of using these tools to improve population health management. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already begun using big data tools as well for similar purposes, and this is helping to streamline the average employee's experience over time.
With all three of these innovative and breakthrough trends, the implication related to security and regulatory compliance are significant, and studies have indicated that the average medical organization is still somewhat behind the curve when it comes to safeguarding these investments. Cloud and mobility can be difficult to secure, but big data - because of its sheer size, speed and novelty - might be the hardest to protect without the right knowledge and solutions.
The experts' take
International Data Corporation, one of the leading research and industry-watching firms in the world, recently released a report from its Health Insights division meant to highlight some of the challenges of big data and analytics in the medical industry and how to best overcome them. The result of the project was the creation of an information management framework that can be highly useful for any health care organization to reference when developing big data strategies.
First, IDC Health Insights explained that the use of big data technologies is currently one of the best ways to overcome some of the complexities that are facing the medical sector, specifically those related to resource shortfalls, chronic diseases, an older population and continued stringency in regulations. However, it is clear that big data comes with significant challenges by way of privacy protection and security.
After all, while this report specifically targeted European health care providers, those in the United States must maintain compliance with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act. Because the average big data strategy will pull information from a wide range of channels, everything from HIPAA email to general encryption practices and data center management must be considered from the outset of the initiative.
According to IDC, the framework its analysts have created break down into three critical branches of management - business strategy, information governance and enterprise information architecture - each of which will need to be tight to ensure security and positive outcomes from big data programs.
"Healthcare providers can overcome the business and technology challenges to effectively share patient information in an integrated care paradigm only with a consistent strategy and a thorough implementation approach," Silvia Piai, EMEA research manager, IDC Health Insights, affirmed. "In this sense, leveraging the BDA opportunity will require healthcare executives to plan for an end-to-end information management strategy that takes into consideration overall business objectives, new process technology, and organization aspects described in this methodology."
Parties who are interested in learning more about the smaller, yet similarly important aspects that go into big data analytics programs in health care can reference IDC's main website for more information.
Baby steps
Big data might not be the best next investment for a health care provider that has already started to struggle with information governance, regulatory compliance and security, as it can quickly strain the systems in place to manage files and records. Decision-makers in this sector should first work to ensure that all of their policies, procedures and technologies are at the highest level of security and efficiency, then begin to evaluate whether big data can be accurately, safely and affordably implemented.
At the end of the day, health care providers should never completely balk at big data, but should instead become a bit more progressive and aggressive in their strategies to get these projects underway quickly and securely. By using data center, email encryption and other security services provided by a reliable vendor that is well-versed in compliance, analytics programs can be launched more quickly.
David Bailey is Senior Vice President at Protected Trust.
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