[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 14th that it will expand the number of public institutions providing data to the 'Healthcare Big Data Platform' and the types of new data to activate data utilization through the integration of public data in the healthcare sector.
The number of institutions providing and opening public data through the Big Data Platform will increase from four last year (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, National Health Insurance Service, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, National Cancer Center) to nine this year (adding Statistics Korea, National Rehabilitation Center, National Organ, Tissue and Blood Management Service, National Medical Center, and National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital). The types of data will also expand from 31 to 57, an increase of 26 types.
This measure focuses on supporting essential data tailored to researchers' perspectives and demands. Previously, only the death year and month information from the National Health Insurance Service was provided on the Healthcare Big Data Platform, but with the addition of cause of death information from Statistics Korea, detailed research on diseases and mortality rates has become possible. Furthermore, with the addition of dementia management information from the National Medical Center, broader research in dementia prevention, treatment, and management is expected. Information on organ management from the National Organ, Tissue and Blood Management Service, rehabilitation management from the National Rehabilitation Center, and patient management from National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital have also been added and expanded.
Full-scale data utilization applications are expected to be possible from April, when the system construction of the additional providing institutions is completed. Researchers who wish to link and integrate data from at least two of the data providing institutions can apply for data utilization with documents proving social contribution, etc. After review by the Research Evaluation Committee and the data providing institutions, linked data can be utilized through the Healthcare Big Data Platform.
Jung Eun-young, Director of the Health Industry Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "As the Healthcare Big Data Platform expands and researcher demand increases, the role of providing institutions to open sustainable public data and improve user accessibility has become more important than ever." She added, "We will continue to listen to the opinions of various stakeholders such as researchers and data providing institutions to support broad research data utilization opportunities for smooth linkage."
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