GigaOM Pro

Using big data to improve U.S. health care standards is a promising concept. In reality, widespread change is likely decades away.

There is a huge need for data in the health care sector, given the reforms underway and a renewed focus on providing better care. Broadly speaking, the more data we have the more intelligence we can derive from it to improve the quality and cost of care in the U.S. But vast quantities of data alone are not helpful. We need insight into that data, and that's where the real challenges lie.