Friedman CP, Rubin JC, Sullivan KJ, et al.
Yearbook of medical informatics. Date of publication 2017 Aug 1;volume 26(1):16-23.
1. Yearb Med Inform. 2017 Aug;26(1):16-23. doi: 10.15265/IY-2017-004. Epub 2017
Sep 11.
Toward an Information Infrastructure for Global Health Improvement.
Friedman CP, Rubin JC, Sullivan KJ.
Profound global challenges to individual and population health, alongside the
opportunities to benefit from digital technology, have spawned the concept of
the Learning Health System. Learning Health Systems (LHSs)--which can function
at organizational, network, regional, and national levels of scale--have the
capability of continuous data-driven self-study that promotes change and
improvement. The LHS concept, which originated in the U.S. in 2007, is rapidly
gaining attention around the world. LHSs require, but also transcend, the
secondary use of health data. This paper describes the key features of LHSs,
argues that effective and sustainable LHSs must be supported by infrastructures
that allow them to function with economies of scale and scope, and describes the
services that such infrastructures must provide. While it is relatively
straightforward to describe LHSs, achieving them at the high level of capability
necessary to promote significant health benefits will require advancements in
science and engineering, engaging the field of informatics among a wider range
of disciplines. It also follows from this vision that LHSs cannot be built from
an imposed blueprint; LHSs will more likely evolve from efforts at smaller
scales that compose into larger systems.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.
DOI: 10.15265/IY-2017-004
PMCID: PMC6239237
PMID: 28480469 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of
interest in this work.
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