The role of data steward is broad, encompassing more people in an organization than their titles might lead you to believe. What Is a Data Steward, and What Are Their Responsibilities? Health data stewards were the unsung heroes of the pandemic, working behind the scenes to make sure all the information was accessible, secure and used ethically. Countless healthcare organizations were able to quickly pivot from their normal duties to positions where they could provide public services such as COVID-19 tests, treatments, and eventually vaccines.īecause of data organization and analysis, healthcare providers could read trends from their patients who had contracted COVID-19 and design solutions to address the growing crisis. Never before has data from a pandemic been collected and stored on such a scale and with such accuracy. One example of this in action can be seen in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Benefits of Health Data StewardshipĪs medical records move toward digital storage and archiving, companies can now rely more on data-driven decision-making, leveraging the data they collect to make strategic decisions.
As of 2020, the average cost of a healthcare privacy breach topped $7 million, according to IBM, a figure that's up more than 10% year-over-year. Unsecured or improperly regulated healthcare data warehouses can expose healthcare organizations to risks like massive data breaches and resulting suits or legal action against unethically used personal data. When handled irresponsibly or not dealt with at all, the data an organization collects can become a liability. When handled correctly, analysis of patient data can improve organizational speed, help to understand treatment and care options better, and streamline communication. The Importance of Data Stewardship in Healthcare and Why It Should Be on Your Board's Agendaĭata stewardship is especially essential in the healthcare field because of the amount of personal data healthcare organizations handle. They are the link between the IT department and the business office of a healthcare organization. They manage the data warehouse, which is the place where data can be stored, and implement the policies made under the data governance program. While data governance refers to high-level organizational data policy and compliance with government laws and regulations, healthcare data stewards do the essential work of communicating and coordinating between departments and employees to ensure that the everyday work of the organization can move forward. Healthcare data stewardship often gets confused with data governance, but there are several critical differences. What Is Healthcare Data Stewardship ' Is It Different From Data Governance?
Healthcare data stewards can solve many of these problems. But having control over so much sensitive information means that someone needs to be accountable for it all - from the way that it's organized and accessed, to knowing the risks associated with improper use. The private, personal nature of health data can be very powerful in determining treatment plans and optimizing care. The modern healthcare industry is anchored by data, but that data comes with limitations that are unique to the industry.
That's why healthcare data stewardship is an increasingly essential practice that ensures the ethical, speedy and organized management of vast amounts of patient and clinical data.
As the medical world becomes ever more digitized, healthcare organizations face massive amounts of data to sort through and protect.
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