Technology Roadmap Development for Big Data Healthcare Applications

Abstract

Big data applications indicate a wide range of opportunities to improve the overall quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The highest impact of big data applications is expected when data from various healthcare areas, such as clinical, administrative, financial, or outcome data, can be integrated. However, as of today, the realization of big data healthcare applications aggregating various kinds of data sources is still lacking behind. In order to foster the implementation of comprehensive big data applications, a clear understanding of short-term and long-term goals of envisioned big data scenarios is needed to forecast which emerging big data technologies are needed at what point in time. The contribution of this paper is to introduce the development of a technology roadmap for big data technologies in the healthcare domain. Beside the description of user needs and the technologies needed in order to satisfy those needs, the technology roadmap provides a basis to forecast technology developments and, thus, guidance in planning and coordinating technology developments accordingly.