The amount of health data generated every day is growing at an enormous rate thanks to emerging cloud storage solutions, fall in storage prices, government initiatives to adopt health information systems, etc.
Moreover, the adoption of wearable devices and mobile health applications is empowering people to proactively manage their health and are active contributors to the pool of personal health data.
Owing to the increase in data generation Global Big Data in the Healthcare Market is predicted to value $69 billion by 2025.
But, what is big data analytics and its role in healthcare is something we explore in this article. So, let’s dive in!
What is big data in healthcare?
Big data refers to the large volume of data that may be structured or unstructured. Healthcare data is in the form of big data because it is a ton of data generated from numerous sources.
Big data analytics and Healthcare
Mere generation of data and storing it leads to nowhere. It is the analytics of big data that helps in finding insights and solutions to emerging problems.
Big data analytics refers to the process of exploring the big data sets to find hidden patterns, unknown correlations, market trends, etc.
Big data analytics in healthcare is the set of methodologies, procedures, and technologies that convert big data into meaningful and useful information. This information can be used in taking strategic, operational, and tactical decisions.
Role of big data analytics in healthcare
The role of big data analytics in healthcare ranges from medical research to patient experience and outcome.
- Disease diagnostics
Big data analytics reveals patterns in disease symptoms and enables early and accurate detection. The data processed by Big data analytics is fed to the algorithms that also help in identifying rare diseases at an early stage.
- Helps in preventive care
Big data allows predictive analysis, modeling, and forecasting outcomes. It can predict chances of illness based on behavior patterns and helps in identifying warning signs at an early stage.
- Remote monitoring and telemedicine
Remote monitoring devices collect a lot of patient health data, including vitals. Analysis of this big data provides doctors with valuable insights into diagnosis and treatment.
- Improve public health
Big data analytics has the potential to predict the spread of infectious diseases and help in the successful prevention of spreading the infection. For example, during the covid-19 outbreak, the government relied on big data analytics to provide real-time stats of the outbreak.
- Imaging
Big data analytics streamlines the reading of images by radiologists. This, when fed to AI algorithms, can help in quick and accurate analysis of medical imaging.
- Hospital management
Big data analytics helps in hospital operations and cost reduction by appropriate staffing. It allows for staff allocation based on patient footfall analysis and staff training based on requirements.
- Drug research and development
With tons of data available from previous studies and clinical trials, pharmaceuticals use big data analytics to develop new drugs. It helps in drug research, clinical studies, and drug development.
Benefits and challenges of Big data analytics in healthcare
| Benefits | Challenges |
| Reduces medical errors | Data integration and storage |
| Streamlines hospital operations | Data quality and standardization |
| Helps in clinical decision making | Data privacy and security |
| Identify high-risk patients | Infrastructure for big data analysis |
| Personalized care delivery |
Conclusion: Will Big data analytics revolutionise healthcare?
The Healthcare industry generates zettabytes of data that need to be aggregated, organized, and managed for efficient working of hospitals and diagnostic labs. Big data analytics holds the potential to bring about massive changes in the healthcare space.
With the increase in the adoption of big data analytics by healthcare providers, consumers can expect quality care. Healthcare providers can compile all consumer data and make better decisions.
Big data analytics, medical IoT devices, and artificial intelligence, when combined, can definitely disrupt the healthcare space.
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Global Big Data in the Healthcare Market is predicted to value $69 billion by 2025. Have you heard about it?
Big data analytics in healthcare is the set of methodologies, procedures, and technologies that convert big data into meaningful and useful information.
Big data analytics helps in analyzing tons of healthcare data generated every day to
- Diagnose diseases
- Provide preventive care
- Provide remote monitoring and telemedicine services
- Improve public health
- Streamline imaging
- Manage hospital operations
- Research and develop drugs
Big Data Analytics reduces medical errors, helps in clinical decision making, etc. But, the infrastructure required to set up big data analytics and data privacy and security are challenges the healthcare sector face.
However, Big data analytics, medical IoT devices, and artificial intelligence, when combined, can definitely disrupt the healthcare space.
