HIMSS Word of the Day #491: Data Aggregation
Data aggregation is the work of gathering information, processing it, and presenting it as a summary. HIPAA also gives the term a specific meaning for business associates who combine data from more than one covered entity. This post explains both meanings, then reviews six sources: the HIPAA definition in 45 CFR 164.501, a landscape analysis of ways to collect patient data across providers and payers, a tokenization pilot linking records from two hospitals, an HIE-based COVID-19 cohort of 8,874 patients, a policy review of third-party aggregation companies, and a proposal for patient-held records as an alternative to central aggregation.