title: Where your data is going and where it's been.
abstract: Collecting data is time-consuming and expensive. Electronic transactions, including electronic medical records and the unification of many billing procedures, have transformed the rate at which data are able to be extracted. Although obstacles remain, the rate at which data are de-identified, collected, and aggregated will help improve safety and standards of care for oncology patients. Everyone participating in the care of oncology patients must understand how important data are as the quality initiatives and performance metrics are numerous and growing; these initiatives cannot be successful without timely, accurate, and quantifiable data that address the continuum of oncology care.
authors.affiliation: SDI, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania 19462, USA. jquigley@sdihealth.com
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quigley
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality; D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D018907:Privacy; D014481:United States