Open AccessBig data in healthcare research - how can we address public concerns of privacy
Author(s) -
Richard Ying Yu,
Lily Robinson,
Salonee V. Patel
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
uwomj/medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2560-8274
pISSN - 0042-0336
DOI - 10.5206/uwomj.v87i2.1101
Subject(s) - confidentiality , big data , internet privacy , context (archaeology) , health care , information privacy , privacy by design , field (mathematics) , data science , computer science , computer security , business , political science , data mining , paleontology , mathematics , pure mathematics , law , biology
Big data is an emerging technological field that encompasses massive datasets. Its role in the healthcare field is currently being explored and has the potential to greatly improve healthcare and disease surveillance through pattern analysis of health data. Concerns had by the general public focus primarily on potential breaches of privacy and confidentiality of patient medical health records in the context of research. These concerns relate to the innate characteristics of big data, such as large size and fast data acquisition speed, which increases the risk of breaching confidentiality. Therefore, it is important for physicians to be mindful of privacy concerns and maintain trust as big data becomes more prominent. Doing so is a key factor in building public trust in the use. Understanding strategies and limitations of current practice standards will allow physicians to build on existing guidelines to incorporate the rise of big data. This means prioritizing privacy when handling big data through anonymization, creating safe havens and promoting dynamic informed consent practice standards.