Data reigns supreme in any technology-driven industry, and healthcare is no exception. This wealth of information has unlocked fresh avenues for medical research, innovation, and enhanced patient care; especially as big data analytics in healthcare skyrockets.
For healthcare data science initiatives, having access to open and cost-free datasets is critical. However, these datasets can be quite elusive. Here are 10 great data sets that can catalyze your proficiency in healthcare data analytics.
What are Healthcare Data Sets?
A dataset is a collection of information sets made up of different items, which can be processed collectively by a computer. Most often, data sets can be in the form of a single database table or a statistical data matrix, ranging from a small number of items to a vast amount of them.
Healthcare data sets refer to compilations of structured or unstructured healthcare-related data. These data sets may include, but are not limited to: medical information, measurements, financial records, statistical figures, demographic details, and insurance data, sourced from a variety of healthcare outlets.
The Importance of Healthcare Data Sets
Healthcare analytics rely on data and datasets. With healthcare data stemming from various sources, the standardization of healthcare data is necessary to maximize the value of information and promote collaboration among healthcare, providers, and government entities.
Healthcare data exchange, especially in the US, is strictly regulated to protect the personal health information (PHI) of patients. Industry regulations like HITRUST, HITECH, etc. emphasize the significance of data interchange standards, including shared encoding specifications, medical templates for organizing information, document architectures, and information models.
Healthcare datasets are what both people and AI engines need to define the necessary data points for every patient and present unified definitions for key terms.
10 Great Data Sets in Healthcare
Hospital system data is not the only data source that can offer value for healthcare systems analytics. We’ve collected a list of top healthcare datasets you can access for statistical analyses, including both free healthcare datasets and commercial datasets for healthcare entities.
1. Healthdata.gov
The goal of HealthData.gov is to increase access to valuable health data for entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers to improve health outcomes. The platform integrates 125 years of healthcare data, covering Medicare claims data, epidemiology, and population statistics. Here you can discover a range of tools, applications, and datasets from agencies across the Federal government.
2. Data.gov
Data sets on Data.gov are sourced from various Federal Government agencies aiming to enhance the well-being and quality of life for all Americans. With a collection of more than 197,747 data sets, they cover areas like healthcare, public safety, and scientific research. Numerous businesses have chosen this advanced healthcare data warehouse for the healthcare data integration, storage, retention, handling, and analytics of their patient data.
3. The World Health Organization
The World Health Organization offers datasets and publications from 194 countries regarding worldwide health concerns, including health and illness statistics. Each section focuses on a particular subject, offering insights into global conditions and notable trends. Health topics covered include death rates, child nutrition, water quality, HIV/AIDS, healthcare infrastructures, injuries, and other related areas.
4. MHEALTH Dataset Data Set
The MHEALTH dataset includes recordings of body motion and vital signs from ten volunteers with different backgrounds. Motion data, including acceleration, rate of turn, and magnetic field orientation, is tracked by sensors located on the chest, right wrist, and left ankle. Additionally, the 2-lead ECG measurements in the chest sensor could be utilized for basic heart monitoring and examining how exercise impacts the ECG.
5. The Human Mortality Database (HMD)
The Human Mortality Database (HMD) was established to outline comprehensive mortality and population statistics to professionals in the academic, media, policy, and research fields intrigued by human lifespan history. Currently, it stands as a global repository containing mortality and population rates in industrialized countries like Spain, Canada, Czechia, the United States, Japan, Ireland, and other regions.
6. Data and Tools of the National Center for Health Statistics
The National Center for Health Statistics provides public-use data files, documentation, and restricted data, along with data tools, analysis aids, and data visualization for the public, survey participants, researchers, and students.
7. The Big Cities Health Inventory Data
The Health Inventory Data Platform, an open data system, enables users to retrieve and examine health data from 26 cities, covering 34 health metrics and 6 demographic indicators. Initially developed by the Chicago Department of Public Health, the platform offers epidemiological data on selected metropolises. The latest version includes more than 17,000 data points from 28 major cities, offering insights into various critical health concerns affecting urban areas nationwide.
8. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) consists of healthcare databases and accompanying software tools created in collaboration between the federal government, states, and industry partners. Supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), it serves as an official website under the US Department of Health and Human Services. The platform aims to track, analyze, and monitor healthcare access, charges, quality, and outcomes.
9. Kent Ridge Bio-medical Dataset
Kent Ridge Bio-medical Dataset stores extensive biomedical datasets, such as gene expression, protein profiles, and genomic sequences that are related to classification and recently featured in reliable scientific journals.
10. OpenFDA
Developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, OpenFDA helps developers to reach public FDA data via open APIs and supplies raw data downloads, with documentation and examples. The dataset provides records concerning drug use’s adverse events, drug product labeling, and recall enforcement reports.
FAQs
1. How can healthcare organizations ensure the accuracy and quality of their data sets?
Healthcare organizations can ensure the precision and quality of their data collections by setting up strong data governance frameworks and guidelines, which aid in establishing clear guidelines for data entry, management, and quality standards. Also, conducting regular data audits and validation processes can identify errors, inconsistencies, and missing information.
To minimize human errors, healthcare organizations should also regularly provide training to staff on data entry and management best practices.
2. How do healthcare data sets contribute to medical research and clinical decision-making?
Healthcare datasets offer a wealth of data for analysis to detect patterns, trends, and connections. Researchers can use these healthcare data sets to examine disease frequency, treatment results, and patient demographics, among other elements. This data contributes to the development of evidence-based medicine, allowing for more informed clinical decision-making.
Healthcare data sets also support population health management by enabling the identification of high-risk groups and the implementation of preventive measures. They are instrumental in clinical trials, helping to identify potential participants, monitor patient outcomes, and evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments.
3. How are patient privacy and data security maintained in healthcare data sets?
To safeguard patient privacy and data security within healthcare datasets, adherence to industry-specific regulations such as HIPAA is top priority. This involves implementing stringent access controls, anonymizing data, encrypting sensitive information, and ensuring patient consent and transparency in data utilization
Leading the Wave of Healthcare Data with KMS Healthcare
The pressure of the economic downturns, strained public resources, and a growing population require efficiency from healthcare institutions and governments.
If you’re ready to fully leverage your data now to maximize its potential, consider working with a skilled and experienced third-party technology partner. KMS Healthcare is a leader in healthcare technology, delivering top-notch software engineering solutions for healthcare. Our skilled team of developers has diverse expertise, focusing on healthcare data management and utilization.
Interested in building new healthcare solutions or integrating with your current data systems? Reach out to KMS Healthcare today for a free consultation with our experts.
Reference
(n.d.). All data related to the health care system. Office for National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthcaresystem/datalist?filter=datasets
(n.d.). 10 Great Healthcare Data Sets. Data Science Central. https://www.datasciencecentral.com/10-great-healthcare-data-sets
(n.d.). How to Navigate Structured and Unstructured Data as a Healthcare Organization. HealthTech Magazine. https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2023/05/structured-vs-unstructured-data-in-healthcare-perfcon
