Toward Reuse of Clinical Data for Research and Quality Improvement: The End of the Beginning?

Abstract

Editorials1 September 2009Toward Reuse of Clinical Data for Research and Quality Improvement: The End of the Beginning?FREEMark G. Weiner, MD and Peter J. Embi, MD, MSMark G. Weiner, MDFrom University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267. and Peter J. Embi, MD, MSFrom University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-151-5-200909010-00141 SectionsAboutVisual AbstractPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Today's health information technology (HIT) landscape provides an unprecedented convergence of comprehensive electronic health records, robust computational processing power, data-sharing capabilities, and emerging financial incentives that favor the widespread adoption and meaningful use of such systems. Even as the primary value proposition for HIT adoption by clinical practices remains a matter of debate (1), 2 articles in this issue (2, 3) help to illustrate the potential for secondary benefits by discussing the value of distributed health data networks for improving research and health care quality.The multiple goals of population health, pharmaceutical surveillance, comparative effectiveness research, and other major initiatives being advanced to address the needs of our health care and research enterprises have create…