Abstract
The health sector is behind other sectors of society in the development and use of high-quality data to support a digital transformation in health care. Technologies exist to harmonize, share, access, and utilize health data, even the very large and diverse volumes of “Big Data” that the sector now produces. Harmonized information systems, appropriate skills and attitudes, ethical frameworks, and engaged stakeholders provide the possibility for a positive digital transformation. But progress will remain slow without a significant overhaul of existing institutional and policy frameworks that steer health system behavior. This chapter provides examples of how leading OECD countries are benefitting from digital data and technologies to advance patient outcomes and experiences, health care quality and performance, and research and innovation. It describes the key elements of a successful digital transformation in health care. It argues that a digital health strategy is necessary and that this strategy should include health data governance; standardized and coherent national electronic health record systems; and incentives and allocations supporting capacity for the health workforce and patients to benefit from digital transformation. Further, for the digital transformation to be truly global in scope, cross-country collaboration is needed to develop global standards for data content and exchange, to identify and respond to data security threats, and to develop a harmonized approach to health data governance that facilitates multicountry research and care improvement projects.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Auraaen A, Slawomirski L, Klazinga N (2018) The economics of patient safety in primary and ambulatory care: flying blind. In: OECD Health Working Papers. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/baf425ad-en
Baker K, Dunwoodie E, Jones R, Newsham A, Johnson O, Price C, … Hall G (2017) Process mining routinely collected electronic health records to define real-life clinical pathways during chemotherapy. Int J Med Inform 103:32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2017.03.011
BakerHostetler (2019) Managing enterprise risks in a digital world. Baker Hostetler, US. Retrieved from https://f.datasrvr.com/fr1/419/17257/2019_BakerHostetler_DSIR_Final.pdf?cbcachex=990603
Banks M (2020) Sizing up big data. Nat Med 26:5–6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0703-0
Barbabella F, Melchiorre M, Quattrini S, Papa R, Lamura G (2017) How can eHealth improve care for people with multimorbidity in Europe? NIVEL and TU Berlin, Utrecht. Retrieved from https://www.icare4eu.org/pdf/PB_25.pdf
Beazley I, Dougherty S, Penn C, Philips L, James C (2019) Performance measurement systems in the health sector and their budgetary implications 7th meeting of the OECD joint network of senior budget and health officials. OECD, Paris. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=COM/DELSA/GOV(2019)3&docLanguage=En
Blakely T, Kvizhinadze G, Atkinson J, Dieleman J, Clarke P (2019) Health system costs for individual and comorbid noncommunicable diseases: an analysis of publicly funded health events from New Zealand. (A. Sheikh, Ed.). PLOS Med 16(1):e1002716. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002716
Businesswire (2018) Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan chase and Co. to Partner on US Employee Healthcare. Businesswire. Retrieved from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180130005676/en/Amazon-Berkshire-Hathaway-JPMorgan-Chase-partner-U.S
Calvino F, Criscuolo C, Marcolin L, Squicciarini M (2018) A taxonomy of digital intensive sectors. OECD science, technology and industry working papers, vol 2018/14. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/f404736a-en
Computer World (2019) Q and A: Christiana care health CIO talks up Apple’s health record app. Computer World. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.computerworld.com/article/3365242/qa-chistina-care-health-cio-talks-up-apples-health-record-app.html
Cylus J, Williams G, Karanikolos M, Figueras J (2018) Using risk-adjusted capitation for financial resource allocation and purchasing primary health care and social services A rapid review of international experiences and lessons for Finland. Retrieved Nov 29, 2018, from https://thl.fi/documents/2616650/2646346/Finland_RiskAdjustmentBrief_12may.pdf/41a46c24-5c58-47f8-b65a-bbad0995c298
EHDEN (2019) European health data and evidence network. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.ehden.eu/
EU (2019) EU general data protection regulation. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://gdpr-info.eu/
European Commission (2013) Benchmarking deployment of eHealth among general practitioners. European Commission – Directorate-General of Communications Networks. Content & Technology
European Health Parliament (2016) Digital skills for health professionals. Committee on Digital skills for health professionals. Retrieved from https://www.healthparliament.eu/digital-skills-health-professionals/
Findlay I, Morris T, Zhang R, McCowan C, Shield S, Forbes B et al (2018) Linking hospital patient records for suspected or established acute coronary syndrome in a complex secondary care system: a proof-of-concept e-registry in NHS Scotland. Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjqcco/qcy007
Foster J, Bryce J (2009) Australian nursing informatics competency project. Stud Health Technol Inform 146:556–560. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-024-7-556
Fralick M, Kesselheim A, Avorn J, Schneeweiss S (2018) Use of health care databases to support supplemental indications of approved medications. JAMA Intern Med 178(1):55. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.3919
Galetsi P, Katsaliaki K, Kumar S (2019) Values, challenges and future directions of big data analytics in healthcare: a systematic review. Soc Sci Med 241:112533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112533
Healthcare Weekly (2019) How the “Big 4” Tech companies are leading healthcare innovation. Healthcare Weekly. Retrieved from https://healthcareweekly.com/how-the-big-4-tech-companies-are-leading-healthcare-innovation/
Hegney D, Buikstra E, Eley R, Fallon T, Gilmore V (2007) Nurses and information technology. Australian Nursing Federation. http://www.anf.org.au/it_project/PDF/IT_Project.pdf
HL7 International (2020, 02 14) FHIR® R4 (HL7 Fast healthcare interoperability resources, RELEASE 4). Retrieved from http://www.hl7.org/implement/standards/product_brief.cfm?product_id=491
Hydari MZ, Telang R (2019) Saving patient Ryan-can advanced electronic medical records make patient care safer? Manag Sci. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2018.3042
Jo E, Drury P (2015) Development of a virtual diabetes register using information Technology in New Zealand. Healthcare Informatics Research 21(1):49–55. https://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2015.21.1.49
Melchiorre M, Papa R, Rijken M, van Ginneken E, Hujala A, Barbabella F (2018) eHealth in integrated care programs for people with multimorbidity in Europe: insights from the ICARE4EU project. Health Policy 122(1):53–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.08.006
Moreira L (2018) Health literacy for people-centred care: where do OECD countries stand? OECD Health Working Papers. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/d8494d3a-en
National Alliance Of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions (2018) Employers’ perceptions & actions related to healthcare waste
NHS Digital (2019) Patient Online Management Information (POMI). Retrieved from https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/pomi
O’Neill D, Scheinker D (2018) Wasted health spending: who’s picking up the tab? Health Aff. https://doi.org/10.1377/hblog20180530.245587
Oderkirk J (2017) Readiness of electronic health record systems to contribute to national health information and research. OECD health working papers. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9e296bf3-en
OECD (2016) Better ways to pay for health care. OECD health policy studies. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264258211-en
OECD (2017) Tackling wasteful spending on health. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264266414-en
OECD (2019a) Health in the 21st century: putting data to work for stronger health systems. OECD Health Policy Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/e3b23f8e-en
OECD (2019b) Recommendation of the Council on Health Data Governance. OECD Legal Instruments, Paris. Retrieved from https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0433
OECD (2019c) Using routine data to inform pharmaceutical policies. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/Using-Routinely-Collected-Data-to-Inform-Pharmaceutical-Policies-Analytical-Report-2019.pdf
Quaglio G, Dario C, Stafylas P, Tiik M, Hoerbst A (2016) E-health in Europe: current situation and challenges ahead. Health Policy Technol 5:314–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2016.07.010
Rudin R, Gidengil C, Predmore Z, Schneider E, Sorace J, Hornstein R (2016) Identifying and coordinating care for complex patients: findings from the leading edge of analytics and health information technology. RAND Corporation, Santa Monica. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/t/rr1234
Safavi K, Bates D, Chaguturu S (2019) Harnessing emerging information Technology for Bundled Payment Care Using a value-driven framework. NEJM Catalyst. Retrieved Oct 20, 2019, from https://catalyst.nejm.org/harnessing-it-bundled-payment-care/
Shilo S, Rossman H (2020) Axes of a revolution: challenges and promises of big data in healthcare. Nat Med 26:29–38. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0727-5
Skills for Health (2012) How do new technologies impact on workforce organisation? Rapid review of international evidence. Skills for Health, Bristol
Slawomirski L, Auraaen A, Klazinga N (2017) The economics of patient safety: strengthening a value-based approach to reducing patient harm at national level. OECD health working papers. OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/5a9858cd-en
Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, SALAR (2016) Vision for eHealth 2025
WHA (2018) First, do no harm: calculating health care waste in Washington State. Retrieved from https://www.wacommunitycheckup.org/media/47156/2018-first-do-no-harm.pdf
Acknowledgements
The views expressed in this chapter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the OECD or its member countries. The authors acknowledge the contributions of OECD analysts Martin Wenzl, Elina Suzuki, Karolina Socha-Dietrich and Cristina Gall.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Editors and the World Health Organization
About this entry
Cite this entry
Colombo, F., Oderkirk, J., Slawomirski, L. (2021). Health Information Systems, Electronic Medical Records, and Big Data in Global Healthcare. In: Kickbusch, I., Ganten, D., Moeti, M. (eds) Handbook of Global Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45009-0_71
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45009-0_71
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-45008-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-45009-0
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences