Digital Natives: Comfortable Sharing Clinical Data for Research and Development

The digital native generation, millennials and beyond, is the first generation to grow up with the internet and digital technology in the palm of their hand. They are comfortable using technology to communicate, learn, and access information. This comfort with technology extends to the healthcare sphere.

A 2023 study published in the journal Nature Medicinefound that digital natives are more likely than older generations to be comfortable sharing their clinical data for research and development. The study found that 62% of digital natives were willing to share their data, compared to only 38% of non-digital natives.

There are a few reasons why digital natives are more comfortable sharing their clinical data. First, they are more likely to trust technology companies and healthcare organizations. Second, they are more likely to understand the benefits of sharing their data for research and development. Third, they are more likely to believe that their data will be used responsibly.

The Benefits of Sharing Clinical Data

Sharing clinical data for research and development can have several benefits. For example, it can help researchers develop new treatments and cures for diseases. It can also help researchers to better understand how diseases work and how to prevent them.

In addition, sharing clinical data can help to improve the quality of healthcare. For example, researchers can use clinical data to develop new diagnostic tools and to identify patients who are at risk of developing certain diseases.

How Digital Natives Are Sharing Their Clinical Data

Digital natives are embracing their role as active participants in the healthcare data revolution, eagerly sharing their clinical information through various digital channels. A prime example is their adoption of health apps, websites and wearables that enable them to monitor and track their health data, actively sharing it with researchers to advance medical understanding. Additionally, they elect to engage in clinical trials that leverage digital technology to collect and share data, contributing to the development of innovative treatments and therapies.

Digital natives are also more receptive to the passive sharing of their data, particularly when they are assured that it will be de-identified and randomized before being utilized for research purposes. This includes the aggregation of their data for research into various healthcare domains, encompassing holistic health and traditional health disciplines. By actively and passively sharing their clinical data, digital natives are playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare research and innovation.

Ensure that Clinical Data is Shared Responsibly

It is important to ensure that clinical data is shared responsibly. This means that healthcare organizations and technology companies should have clear policies in place to protect the privacy and security of the data. And, PHI should never be shared without the express written consent of the patient.

In addition, it is important to give patients control over their data. Patients should be able to choose whether or not to share their data and who they share it with. Most healthcare organizations that participate in academic and third-party research already have patients acknowledge and agree to this kind of passive research participation. To ensure the individual maintains control, healthcare organizations should provide a very easy-to-understand Opt-In / Opt-Out option when people are making appointments or otherwise engaging in care.

The Future of Clinical Data Sharing

As the digital native generation becomes the primary users of healthcare service, as that population exceeds boomers and earlier generations, we can expect to see more and more people sharing their clinical data for research and development. This will lead to a number of benefits, including the development of new treatments and cures for diseases, improved quality of healthcare, and a better understanding of how diseases work and how to prevent them.

HealthTech’s Responsibility

Digital natives are comfortable sharing their clinical data for research and development as long as it is for the greater good. There are a number of benefits to sharing clinical data, including the development of new treatments and cures for diseases, improved quality of healthcare, and a better understanding of how diseases work and how to prevent them.

It is important to ensure that clinical data is shared responsibly. This means that healthcare organizations and technology companies should have clear policies in place to protect the privacy and security of the data. In addition, it is important to give patients control over their data.

As digital natives come of age and become the primary users of healthcare services, we can expect to see more and more people sharing their clinical data for research and development. This will lead to benefits for everyone.

Here are some additional thoughts on how to make clinical data sharing more comfortable for digital natives:

• Transparency: Digital natives want to know how their data will be used and who will have access to it. Healthcare organizations and technology companies should be transparent about their data-sharing practices.
• Control: Digital natives want to have control over their data. They should be able to choose whether or not to share their data, even if it is in the form of a generic Opt-in / Opt-Out consent acknowledgment with their provider organization.
• Benefit: Digital natives want to know that their data is being used for a good cause. Healthcare organizations and technology companies should explain how sharing data will benefit patients and the public.

By following these guidelines, healthcare organizations and technology companies can make clinical data sharing more comfortable for digital natives and reap the benefits of this data for research and development.

Healthcare Providers, MedTech, and Life Science companies can learn more about how Lynx.MD is helping organizations securely optimize the knowledge to be found in real-world clinical data.