By ZOYA KHAN

I would like to introduce you to a new ongoing series that THCB will be featuring called “The Health Data Goldilocks Dilemma: Sharing? Privacy? Both?”. It is about time we started talking about health data privacy and policy, and we have just the experts on hand to do so: Vince Kuraitis and Deven McGraw.

“The Health Data Goldilocks Dilemma: Sharing? Privacy? Both?” series will cover a whole host of topics that discuss, clarify, and challenge the notion of sharing data and if it should be kept private or made public. On the one hand, sharing health information is essential for clinical care, powering medical discovery, and enabling health system transformation. On the other hand, the public is expressing greater concerns over the privacy of personal health data. This ‘Goldilocks Dilemma’ has pushed US policymakers towards two seemingly conflicting goals: 1) broader data interoperability and data sharing, and 2) enhanced data privacy and data protection.

But this issue is even more nuanced and is influenced by many moving parts including: Federal & State privacy legislation, health technology legislation, policy & interoperability rules, data usage from AI & machine learning tools, data from clinical research, ethical concerns, compensating individuals for their data, health data business models, & many more. 

Fear not, Deven & Vince are here to walk readers through this dilemma and will be providing pieces to help explain what is going on. Most of their discussion & pieces will cover 2 specific affected areas: 1) How are policymakers addressing health data privacy risks, and 2) The impact on business models within the Health Data Goldilocks Dilemma.

We hope you enjoy the series and if you have any pieces to add to it, please email me zoya@thehealthcareblog.com

Zoya Khan is the Editor-in-Chief of THCB & an Associate at SMACK.health