Imagine if big data was able to help to save people’s lives… well this isn’t far off. Besides using data to cut down on costs, big data in healthcare is being used to predict epidemics, cure diseases, improve quality of life and avoid preventable deaths. With the advancement of technology and medicine as well as people living longer, the way we are receiving treatment is rapidly changing. The focus now in healthcare is to know as much about a person as early on in life as possible. Cell phone apps and wearable devices for monitoring health have become very popular over the recent years, and very soon patients will be able to share all this information directly with their doctors. This data will be compared and analyzed alongside thousands of others identifying specific threats and issues from patterns that emerge through comparisons.
Soon enough the interaction between a patient and a doctor will be different as well with the use of big data. We all know how it works, you call the doctor office and make an appointment and then sit there waiting sometime over an hour until the doctor sees you. This will soon be something of the past. Instead, you will soon be able to receive medical attention remotely from the comfort of your own home. We all have that one friend who freaks out whenever they get a headache and they go to the doctor. Soon they will be able to save some gas and not have to make weekly doctor visits.
Although these changes can be very beneficial and prevent future illnesses, there is the issue of privacy and personal information potentially getting hacked. Let's be honest, there is nothing more personal or revealing than our medical records. They will have to make sure that the information is heavily secured. Despite the potential bad that can come from big data in healthcare the good definitely outweighs the bad.
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