In general, the role of big data to the medical world is to continuously provide live streams of data readily available for medical experts to track and analyze in order to obtain valuable information hidden within. Most of the data are gathered by the use of “personal data trackers” such as Fitbit. What these personal data trackers do is that it measures the amount of steps taken, heart rate and amount of calories burned within a period of 24 hours (WIRED UK, 2014). All these collected raw data are then made available for the doctors to process and obtain valuable insight with permission from the data owners.
From a clinical point of view, doctors are able to identify patients with potentially life threatening diseases just by analyzing the data collected from these personal data trackers. This is done by studying the correlation between the occurrence of an event to a certain condition based on the data from the past, and compare it with the data that is just recently collected and handed over to the doctor by the patient. What this process done is that it effectively shortens the amount of time required for the doctors to observe and diagnose a patient, reducing the amount of time that is usually used to observe and diagnose when the symptoms have already appeared.
Real time healthcare allows the patient to be monitored after being diagnosed of a certain illness. Live streams of data allow the doctors to be constantly updated of the condition of the patient. What big data is also capable of is to reduce the amount of time required for a certain drug to be created and to be manufactured. Big data enables the companies to monitor and observe how effective their drugs are and also what are the side effects of their drugs. With comprehensive knowledge of their new products, companies are able to develop drugs in much faster cycle compared to the traditional experimental group.
The utilization of big data in hospital also allows significant cost reduction and downtime for the hospital, while at the same time a significant savings for the patient. Hospitals are able to use their own data collected in-house to determine what are the busiest period of time and allocate the most resources to facilitate it, while at the same time allowing patients to be discharged as soon as they are deemed fit. Big data also can be utilized in a way that reduces the number of equipment downtime by predicting the amount of patient to be admitted and also determining the best possible time to carry out maintenance work.
Overall, all the above utilize big data to achieve the larger end goal of the medical industry, which is to provide the most value to the patients, while ensuring high customer satisfaction and trust towards the industry in general. The reduction of drug development cycle, waiting time in the hospital and lower cost of treatment ensures that patients gets the best treatment and care possible with the aid of big data. While at the same time providing doctor a better platform in which data are readily available for them to carry out researches to help prevent diseases or development of drugs.
References
WIRED UK. (2014). Activity trackers like Fitbit bring big data to US healthcare. [online] Available at: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/internet-things-health [Accessed 8 Jun. 2016].
Prepared by Yee Kang
BIG DATA ON HEALTHCARE 