Liberating health data for clinical research applications

Global investments in health information technology (HIT) in the form of electronic health record systems represent important new strategies to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. These potential benefits of HIT will not be achieved without direct attention to the use of health care information for clinical research purposes. To support clinical research effectively, the systems put in place in the next few years must implement appropriate interoperability, information-sharing policies, and infrastructure that can liberate health data from clinical records.