BIG DATA ANALYTICS AND HEALTH INFORMATICS

Abstract

Digital transformation has turned healthcare into one of the most data-intensive sectors. Clinical interactions that were previously documented primarily in paper files now generate electronic health records, radiology images, laboratory results, claims data, physiological signals, genomic data, and data from mobile and wearable devices. These changes have expanded the role of health informatics from information management to serving as a bridge between data, technology, healthcare professionals, and decision-making processes. In this context, “big data” refers not only to the sheer volume of data but also to the speed at which data is generated, the diversity of formats, the level of veracity or reliability, and the value that can be derived from its processing. These five characteristics—volume, velocity, variety, veracity, and value—explain why conventional systems are often inadequate for managing complex and ever-changing health data