1. Availability of Information and big data

The accessibility of data and the means to store and process it is a hallmark of the technological age. The Internet, data capture systems, search features and the ability for healthcare professionals to rapidly share information have enhanced the synthesis and analysis of data.

“Big data” in healthcare allows the entire field to benefit from comprehensive research studies. They can access larger and more diverse population groups than ever before. They can also draw from existing studies for comprehensive meta-analyses.

This innovation allows medical professionals to stay on top of health care trends, techniques and technologies. This can be used to automatically identify risk factors and recommend the right preventative treatment by comparing patient data with data from thousands of other patients, while also reducing costs and improving quality of life in general.

On a smaller scale, data can assist in many ways to improve operations and patient care. For example, Intel worked together with the largest University hospital in Europe to build a solution to predict how many patients are expected to be at their hospitals daily and hourly, using data from four emergency departments. Being able to plan for patient loads allows hospital administration staff effectively organise and allocate resources, helping to reduce patient wait times and improve patient care.