Big data from electronic health records for early and late translational cardiovascular research: challenges and potential
Authors' conclusion
High volumes of inherently diverse ('big') EHR data are beginning to disrupt the nature of cardiovascular research and care. Such big data have the potential to improve our understanding of disease causation and classification relevant for early translation and to contribute actionable analytics to improve health and healthcare.
Study context
- Population
- Translational CVD research using big data (electronic health records (EHR), genomics, imaging, sensor, societal data)
- Outcome
- Challenges and potential of big data across early and late translational CVD research
Methodological detailsconsortium expertise (BigData@Heart), Exemplars sought from literature reviews and expertise across the BigData@Heart Consortium
- Consortium expertise (BigData@Heart)
- Exemplars sought from literature reviews and expertise across the BigData@Heart Consortium
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Challenges: data quality, knowing what data exist, legal and ethical framework, data sharing, public trust, standards for defining disease, tools for scalable, replicable science, inter-disciplinary workforce skills
- Opportunities: richer health and disease profiles from birth to death and molecular to societal scale; accelerated understanding of disease causation and progression; new mechanisms and treatment-relevant sub-phenotypes; whole-population and whole-health-system understanding; actionable feedback loops to improve research and care
- Early translational exemplars: linking exome sequences to lifelong EHR (human knockout experiments); genomic drug target validation; DNA integrated into hospital EHR for pre-emptive pharmacogenomics
- Late translational exemplars: learning health systems with outcome trials integrated into clinical care; citizen-driven health with 24/7 multi-parameter monitoring; population-based linkage of multiple EHR sources for clinical epidemiology and public health
Original publication
Big data from electronic health records for early and late translational cardiovascular research: challenges and potential. Eur Heart J. Published 29 August 2017. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it