Information Governance is beginning to pop-up and position itself as different – but related – to Data Governance. Generally, the healthcare industry is seeing Information Governance more as a strategic endeavor, while Data Governance is more tactical in nature. However, it really seems to be about providing a more business focus on the governance initiative. The governance concepts are the same, but what is being governed, information, that is really data in context, is much more akin to a business perspective.
As I mentioned, information is data in context. This means that data, although important, does not provide value until viewed within the appropriate context. Healthcare organizations need context to gain the insights and make the decisions needed to successfully execute on their vision and strategy.
For example, possessing a set of highly accurate patient lab results is of little value to a provider, but having these results in the context of “is this a ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ result provides the information the provider needs to drive actionable care. Similarly, knowing if the result is normal or abnormal without knowing the parameters of each is also of little value as the level of action to be taken can be impacted. Without context, data has no value.
Healthcare organizations are beginning to recognize that information is different than data when it comes to implementing governance. Whether the governance framework is focused on data or information, information governance is becoming a new, different, and high-priority perspective that focuses on strategic uses of information to achieve clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. To learn more about this trend and the other trends impacting healthcare governance, download our recent guide, Healthcare Governance, Trends to Watch.
