Pursuing Policies Based on Integrated Health Information
KDCA and NHIS Strengthen Collaboration for Data-Driven Public Health
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) are holding discussions on April 21 at the NHIS headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon Province, to explore effective ways to link and utilize health information big data.
Since signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in April 2021, the two agencies have jointly established and opened the COVID-19 big data platform (K-COV-N), resulting in a total of 36 research outcomes to date and maintaining close cooperation to safeguard public health. In September, they also plan to open the tuberculosis big data platform (K-TB-N), which has been under joint development since 2022, with expectations that this will promote epidemiological research and accelerate tuberculosis eradication efforts.
During the meeting, the agencies will discuss key tasks aimed at expanding their collaboration beyond infectious diseases to include chronic diseases through the integration of health information data, and shifting policy direction from treatment-centered to prevention-centered approaches.
To systematically respond to annual influenza outbreaks, which affect many patients each year, the two organizations plan to jointly publish a regular report covering a wide range of topics, including infectious disease surveillance, vaccine effectiveness evaluation, healthcare utilization, and disease burden. This report will serve as an important evidence base for vaccination policy and health insurance system improvements.
They also plan to assess the exposure levels of medical radiation used in health screenings and various tests, such as X-rays and CT scans, based on health insurance claims data, and to use these findings to develop policies that ensure a safer examination environment for the public.
To enhance the effectiveness of the national health screening program, the agencies will link and analyze health screening results with clinical data. This will allow them to determine how much each screening item actually contributes to disease prevention and early detection, and to establish directions for improving the screening system based on scientific evidence.
In addition, by linking data on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (KOCOSS) and the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) with health insurance big data, they plan to conduct comprehensive analyses of genetic information, lifestyle habits, and environmental factors. This process is expected to provide evidence for early diagnosis of diseases and the establishment of personalized clinical guidelines.
Jung Ki-seok, President of the NHIS, stated, "With the expansion of our collaborative scope beyond COVID-19 data analysis, the foundation for utilizing healthcare big data will be qualitatively strengthened. We expect significant achievements in evidence-based policy improvements for public health promotion, disease prevention, appropriate care, and enhancement of healthcare quality."
Ji Youngmee, Commissioner of the KDCA, commented, "With the two agencies possessing the most comprehensive health information in Korea working together, data-driven policies for infectious and chronic diseases will be further strengthened. We also expect that this will enable faster and more scientific responses in future crisis situations such as pandemics."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
