Data Transparency in Healthcare Quality Improvement

In recent years, the American healthcare system has seen a rapid transition to electronic health records (EHR) and a significant accumulation of digital healthcare information.^1,2 Having accurate data are key for quality improvement efforts. Unfortunately, a lack of standardization and limited access to stored data have created barriers to its use.³ The principles of data transparency include making the source and validation methods of the data clearly evident as well as ensuring equitable, easy, and timely access to the data. Data transparency can help utilize this digital transformation to support quality improvement efforts and create an effective learning health system.