Abstract
We discuss informatics-based challenges of constructing large-scale collaborative networks for healthcare research and analysis from rural community health centers. These types of networks provide data access and analytic insights across multiple heterogeneous health centers for both healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers. Challenges fall into three general categories: data access, data integration, and technical infrastructure. Data access issues arise in balancing patient privacy, security, and utility; data integration issues persist from each site independently operating its desired electronic medical record; technical infrastructure challenges include creating an analysis and reporting hub capable of scaling across a large collaborative network. Other challenges, such as the difficulty of site recruitment, are important to discuss, but cannot be solved directly through informatics alone. We discuss these challenges and their potential solutions in the context of our implementation of the Kentucky Diabetes and Obesity Collaborative (KDOC). KDOC is a network of Federally-Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs) that established a collaborative infrastructure for research and analysis of obesity and diabetes in rural and under-served communities.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | 3rd IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics, BHI 2016 |
Pages | 513-516 |
Number of pages | 4 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781509024551 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 18 2016 |
Event | 3rd IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics, BHI 2016 - Las Vegas, United States Duration: Feb 24 2016 → Feb 27 2016 |
Publication series
Name | 3rd IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics, BHI 2016 |
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Conference
Conference | 3rd IEEE EMBS International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics, BHI 2016 |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Las Vegas |
Period | 2/24/16 → 2/27/16 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016 IEEE.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Informatics
- Health Information Management