Week 7

Week 7- 

This week the subject of data sharing was discussed.  Data sharing can offer new ways of delivering care by allowing patient's information to follow them from one organization to another.  It allows care providers to see a full view of a patient's history without the patient having to request their chart. Perceptions must be challenged that patient data is proprietary.  Organizations should change their view regarding sharing patient data to how the data and data sharing can best benefit their patients. According to an article from The Network for Public Health Law, patient data sharing adds many benefits to patients, health care workers and public health officials, including: Earlier detection of infectious disease outbreaks, improved tracking of patients’ chronic disease management, improved coordination of care across public and private providers, reduction of adverse health care events and more accurate assessments of the amount of disease in the community and of the impact of community-wide prevention initiatives.