Open Access
Yearb Med Inform 2016; 25(01): 211-218
DOI: 10.15265/IY-2016-019
IMIA and Schattauer GmbH
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart

Clinical Research Informatics for Big Data and Precision Medicine

C. Weng
1   Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032 USA
,
M.G. Kahn
2   Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80045 USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Correspondence to:

Chunhua Weng, PhD, FACMI
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Columbia University
622 W 168 Street, PH-20
New York, NY 10032, USA

Publication History

10 November 2016

Publication Date:
06 March 2018 (online)

 

Summary

Objectives: To reflect on the notable events and significant developments in Clinical Research Informatics (CRI) in the year of 2015 and discuss near-term trends impacting CRI.

Methods: We selected key publications that highlight not only important recent advances in CRI but also notable events likely to have significant impact on CRI activities over the next few years or longer, and consulted the discussions in relevant scientific communities and an online living textbook for modern clinical trials. We also related the new concepts with old problems to improve the continuity of CRI research.

Results: The highlights in CRI in 2015 include the growing adoption of electronic health records (EHR), the rapid development of regional, national, and global clinical data research networks for using EHR data to integrate scalable clinical research with clinical care and generate robust medical evidence. Data quality, integration, and fusion, data access by researchers, study transparency, results reproducibility, and infrastructure sustainability are persistent challenges.

Conclusion: The advances in Big Data Analytics and Internet technologies together with the engagement of citizens in sciences are shaping the global clinical research enterprise, which is getting more open and increasingly stakeholder-centered, where stakeholders include patients, clinicians, researchers, and sponsors.


 



Correspondence to:

Chunhua Weng, PhD, FACMI
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Columbia University
622 W 168 Street, PH-20
New York, NY 10032, USA