Application of big data in healthcare: examination of the military experience

Abstract

Healthcare is fully embracing the promise of Big Data for improving performance and efficiency. Such a paradigm shift, however, brings many unforeseen impacts both positive and negative. Healthcare has largely looked at business models for inspiration to guide model development and practical implementation of Big Data. Business models, however, are limited in their application to healthcare as the two represent a complicated system versus a complex system respectively. Healthcare must, therefore, look toward other examples of complex systems to better gauge the potential impacts of Big Data. Military systems have many similarities with healthcare with a wealth of systems research, as well as practical field experience, from which healthcare can draw. The experience of the United States Military with Big Data during the Vietnam War is a case study with striking parallels to issues described in modern healthcare literature. Core principles can be extracted from this analysis that will need to be considered as healthcare seeks to integrate Big Data into its active operations.