DATA SHARING IN THE ERA OF COVID-19
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Introduction
The paper focuses on the implications of lack of data dispensation in the medical field and specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper further highlights how the availability of data – readily- on the disease would speed up the process of finding a solution to the disease. This would even be a stepping stone to further data distribution in various medical fields. This milestone can, however, only be achieved if the medical practitioners pool their resources and work together for one common goal – elimination of the COVID-19 disease. This would increase the chances of dealing with the pandemic and even show how vital it is to work together rather than trying to find solutions individually. The paper, therefore, provides insight into the overlooked area of data sharing within the medical field and the problems faced in the quest to achieve this milestone.
Literature review
Availability of data in the medical field has been a significant issue of concern in recent years. Despite the widespread technological advancements that may allow easier access to information, there is a need for accurate information which can only be obtained if experts shared information. This accurate information would help automated decision systems have better results and help doctors in the intensive care unit, as revealed by Moody and Mark (1996). They also explain how this data would help in the education of students within the medical field. In an attempt to achieve this, they created the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC). This database shows that it is possible to have clinically accurate information in the various subjects within the medical field.
Christopher, Leo and David (2019) also show how the importance of the availability of accurate clinical data has been overlooked. Selfish interests such as financial gain have been a major hindering factor for this. This vested interests encourage the “pay or perish slogan, which only works to undermine the availability of data for all medical practitioners. However, there is hope that the importance of sharing information will soon be highlighted following the recent COVID-19 pandemic which would require doctors to put their minds together.
Methodology
Data collection
In order to get enough data for the research, books that had previously covered the topic were pulled together. Those that were relevant to the medical field were chosen for this research. The books did not have to have any relevant timeline. However, the books had to have quality discussions on the topic and a great extent of contribution to the topic. The books were analyzed, and all relevant information on the topic was written down.
Data sources
In order to gain a better insight into the impacts of lack of availability of enough medical data both generally and during the COVID-19 pandemic, qualitative data from three books on the subject matter were chosen. A thorough investigation of the books by Christopher, Leo and David (2019), Moody and Mark (1996) and Johnson, Polar and Shen (2016) gave valuable information on how data sharing in medicine had been neglected and how it was vital for use in computerized decision-making systems.
Research Methodology
The three books were read especially at sections that mentioned the topic of discussion. The books were then analyzed. This was done by going through the areas covering the topic of discussion. Notes on these areas were taken for use in the research paper. Use of documented sources for this research was because of the vast field of study being covered by the topic making other data collection methods significantly harder to pursue. The documents also gave enough data on the topic as the different books gave a vast and different perspective. The books also had in-depth interpretations of how the medical fraternity would benefit from data sharing. They helped guide the research as to how data sharing affected the fight against COVID-19.
Outcomes
The research showed that data sharing has for a long time been overlooked, and therefore there is a need to look into this. There is a need to find ways of helping ICU doctors to have faster, clinically accurate decisions. This may be done through the use of decision-making systems. These systems, however, can only maximize their potential if enough data is input. This is where data sharing comes into the picture. Sharing of data from various medical experts all over the world would create an invaluable database which would help make the decision systems more effective. The establishment of this database will also help pull together enough data on the COVID-19 pandemic and even foster an exchange of ideas. This, without a doubt, is a starting point in the fight against the disease and would increase the chances of actually finding a cure. For this reason, medical experts should put away their selfish financial interests and aim of working together to find a solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proposition
The best way to deal with the pandemic is to make available data on the disease. Creation of a worldwide database to exchange information on how different patients reacted to different drug trials. This may help find the best way to deal with the pandemic in different parts of the world. This may also provide an insight which may help in finding a cure or vaccine due to a better understanding of the disease.
Limitations
One limitation is the lack of data sharing on the COVID-19. This, therefore, undermines the work of doctors as they are unable to compare notes with other doctors being faced with the same problems. These doctors, therefore, cannot know what type of patients reacted well to what kind of medicine. This impedes their progress towards finding a cure. Another limitation is some doctors’ selfishness. Some doctors want to keep information with the hope they will come up with a groundbreaking idea, thus gain abundantly from it. This only slows progress as it does not allow them to get helpful ideas from the other doctors.
Missing points
The author has identified that a universal medical database has not been established. This database would have been essential in the fight against the pandemic as it shows a unified front in the fight against the disease. It would also allow a good flow of ideas among different medical practitioners. This, therefore, needs to be established sooner rather than later.
Another missing point is the lack of the initiative to find and pull together enough information on the disease. Medical practitioners need to take it upon themselves to find ways of sharing useful data on the disease.
In conclusion, there is a need to establish a worldwide medical database to allow medical experts to exchange data on the COVID-19 patients and consequently, on many other illnesses. This will be useful in ensuring better diagnoses and better health standards. It will also help find a faster solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
Cosgriff CV, Celi LA, Stone DJ (2019). Critical care, critical data. Biomed Eng Comput Biol; 10: 1179597219856564.
2 Johnson AE, Pollard TJ, Shen L, et al. MIMIC-III (2016) a freely accessible critical care database. Sci Data; 3: 160035.
Moody GB, Mark RG (1996). A database to support development and evaluation of intelligent intensive care monitoring. Comp Cardiol; 33: 657–60.