scholarly journals Privacy, security, and the public health researcher in the era of electronic health record research

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal D Goldstein ◽  
Anand D Sarwate
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Researcher ◽  
Public Health Researcher ◽  
Electronic Health

Health data derived from electronic health records are increasingly utilized in large-scale population health analyses. Going hand in hand with this increase in data is an increasing number of data breaches. Ensuring privacy and security of these data is a shared responsibility between the public health researcher, collaborators, and their institutions. In this article, we review the requirements of data privacy and security and discuss epidemiologic implications of emerging technologies from the computer science community that can be used for health data. In order to ensure that our needs as researchers are captured in these technologies, we must engage in the dialogue surrounding the development of these tools.

scholarly journals A review of big data and medical research

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 205031212093483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Mallappallil ◽  
Jacob Sabu ◽  
Angelika Gruessner ◽  
Moro Salifu
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Biometric Data ◽  
Electronic Health

Universally, the volume of data has increased, with the collection rate doubling every 40 months, since the 1980s. “Big data” is a term that was introduced in the 1990s to include data sets too large to be used with common software. Medicine is a major field predicted to increase the use of big data in 2025. Big data in medicine may be used by commercial, academic, government, and public sectors. It includes biologic, biometric, and electronic health data. Examples of biologic data include biobanks; biometric data may have individual wellness data from devices; electronic health data include the medical record; and other data demographics and images. Big data has also contributed to the changes in the research methodology. Changes in the clinical research paradigm has been fueled by large-scale biological data harvesting (biobanks), which is developed, analyzed, and managed by cheaper computing technology (big data), supported by greater flexibility in study design (real-world data) and the relationships between industry, government regulators, and academics. Cultural changes along with easy access to information via the Internet facilitate ease of participation by more people. Current needs demand quick answers which may be supplied by big data, biobanks, and changes in flexibility in study design. Big data can reveal health patterns, and promises to provide solutions that have previously been out of society’s grasp; however, the murkiness of international laws, questions of data ownership, public ignorance, and privacy and security concerns are slowing down the progress that could otherwise be achieved by the use of big data. The goal of this descriptive review is to create awareness of the ramifications for big data and to encourage readers that this trend is positive and will likely lead to better clinical solutions, but, caution must be exercised to reduce harm.

Val Curtis: public health researcher and activist

BMJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. m4119
Author(s):  
Robert Aunger ◽  
Oliver Cumming
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Researcher ◽  
Public Health Researcher

scholarly journals A policy framework for public health uses of electronic health data

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 18-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deven McGraw ◽  
Kristen Rosati ◽  
Barbara Evans
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Electronic Health

scholarly journals Silver Linings Reported by Australians Experiencing Public Health Restrictions during the First Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Report

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11406
Author(s):  
Narelle Campbell ◽  
Sandra C. Thompson ◽  
Anna Tynan ◽  
Louise Townsin ◽  
Lauren A. Booker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
National Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Mental Well Being

This national study investigated the positives reported by residents experiencing the large-scale public health measures instituted in Australia to manage the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Most Australians had not previously experienced the traditional public health measures used (social distancing, hand hygiene and restriction of movement) and which could potentially impact negatively on mental well-being. The research design included qualitative semi-structured phone interviews where participants described their early pandemic experiences. Data analysis used a rapid identification of themes technique, well-suited to large-scale qualitative research. The ninety participants (mean age 48 years; 70 women) were distributed nationally. Analysis revealed five themes linked with mental well-being and the concept of silver linings: safety and security, gratitude and appreciation, social cohesion and connections, and opportunities to reset priorities and resilience. Participants demonstrated support for the public health measures and evidence of individual and community resilience. They were cognisant of positives despite personal curtailment and negative impacts of public health directives. Stories of hope, strength, and acceptance, innovative connections with others and focusing on priorities and opportunities within the hardship were important strategies that others could use in managing adversity.

scholarly journals Genetic Data Privacy Solutions in the GDPR

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 269-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi Harbord
Keyword(s):  
Data Privacy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Genetic Privacy ◽  
Private Companies ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
Consumer Data ◽  
Doctor's Office

The intersection of healthcare and technology is a rapidly growing area. One thriving field at this intersection involves obtaining, processing, and storing genetic data. While the benefits have been great, genetic information can reveal a great deal about individuals and their families. And the information that can be conveyed from genetic data appears limitless and is constantly growing and changing. Many entities have begun storing, processing, and sharing genetic data on a very large scale. This creates many privacy concerns that the current regulatory framework does not account for. The line between patient data and consumer data is blurred; many entities are interested in obtaining genetic data with varied interests. In the direct-to-consumer genetic testing market, consumers pay to send private companies their DNA samples in exchange for a trivial amount of information about their ancestry and health risks. But health data obtained and processed by a company are subjected to far less stringent privacy regulations than health data obtained and processed at a doctor’s office or hospital. This Comment summarizes some of the current genetic privacy problems in United States laws and examines the EU’s recently adopted GDPR for a possible solution. A GDPR-style regulation could provide more consistency, give individuals more control, and protect against future unknown uses.

scholarly journals The Use of Electronic Health Record Systems During COVID-19 at a Local Community Hospital on the West Coast

2021 ◽  
pp. 53-58
Author(s):  
Malini Krishnamurthi, Ph.D.
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Electronic Health Record ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Record ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Electronic Health

The United States Federal government looks toward information technology to curtail health care costs while increasing the quality of patient care through the adoption of electronic health record (EHR)systems. This paper examined the experience of a hospital with its EHR system in the context of the pandemic. Results showed that the hospital maintains a state-of-the-art health care system to provide quality care to its community and was responsive to the recent crisis. The results were consistent with other comparable hospitals examined in this study. The hospitals were successful in adopting EHR systems. They were able to identify gaps that could be filled with technology add-ons from different software vendors to improve their functionality and thereby provide better & timely patient care. Managing large volumes of data generated in the normal process of EHR operation and ensuring data privacy and security were the significant challenges faced and are likely to continue in the future.

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