Information collected from individual patients at doctor's office and hospital visits could be used to improve healthcare and reduce costs on a national scale, according to a discussion paper released by the Institute of Medicine.
As health care records move to electronic systems, there is an opportunity to compile information taken from individuals and use it to conduct large studies that advance the entire healthcare system, says Michael D. Murray, PharmD, MPH, the Regenstrief Institute investigator and Purdue University professor who led the team of experts that wrote the paper.
"Every healt care encounter provides not only an opportunity to improve the health of the individual patient, but also to help improve the care of others," says Murray, who is the executive director of the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Effectiveness Research at the Regenstrief Institute. "Currently, the information collected like blood pressure, weight, medications used, disease diagnoses and medical history are used only to inform decisions for that individual patient. We are missing a tremendous opportunity to turn our healthcare system into one that learns from each care experience and leads to better and more affordable care for all."
Such information could be used to better monitor diseases and outbreaks, target medical services where they are most helpful, reduce unnecessary testing and treatments, prevent medical errors, and accelerate medical research and delivery of new treatments, he says.
"Patient and provider engagement in sharing data is the key to realizing this potential," adds Murray, who also is a distinguished professor of pharmacy practice and endowed chair of medication safety at Purdue. "We want the public to know that this can be done in a very secure way that maintains their privacy. We hope that a better understanding of what could be achieved leads to a greater number of people approving the use of their data for research and health care improvement."
There are laws that set standards for the use of clinical data for research and measures like the removal of names, addresses and other identifying information to protect a patient's confidentiality. Still, surveys show the privacy and security of electronic data are among patients' top concerns about data sharing.
In addition to raising awareness of the benefits of secure data sharing, better integration of data and more trained professionals to analyze large data sets are needed, he said.
The discussion paper, "Making the Case for Continuous Learning From Routinely Collected Data," details the various sources of clinical data available and case studies of how this information can be used. The authors were participants in the Clinical Effectiveness Research Innovation Collaborative of the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care.
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512