The Health Advocate August 2019

DAVID BUNKER
Executive Director,
Queensland Genomics
Going digital
Our health system is at an important point
in history with the ongoing convergence of
electronic medical records, genomics, biosensors,
smartphone-based health and wellness apps,
and clinical information exchange supporting the
journey of healthcare consumers through a rapidly
digitising health system.
The enormous volume of clinical and experience
data being generated now through normal,
everyday health interventions is difficult
to comprehend, presenting challenges and
opportunities. How will we value these data,
and how will we make best use of it?
The value of data
Large multinationals have demonstrated the
value of data collection when it is converted
into useful information coupled to commercially
viable products and services. So, how can our
health system leverage the data collected through
everyday healthcare and do this in a manner
that supports the emergence of a true learning
health system, combining precision medicine and
implementation science?
In 2018 the total amount of data created
worldwide was 33 zetabytes, 1 or 33 trillion
gigabytes. In 2015, the volume of healthcare big
data created was 4.4 zetabytes. In 2020, we will
create 44 zetabytes of health data, a 10-fold
increase. Making sense of this much data is tough,
just in terms of the volume. If the projections are
correct, the data generated next year—not stored
or used, just new data—will be equivalent to
880 billion Blu-ray discs. Or in physical terms,
44 million human brains, or 97 grams of DNA.
Business analytics capabilities and emerging
Artificial Intelligence applications are now
fundamental to make sense of the overwhelming
amount of data being created. A serious shift in
our attention to these data is required to consider
26 The Health Advocate • AUGUST 2019
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