Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): Patient Generated Health Data

Patient generated health data (PGHD) in healthcare refers to information about a patient’s health that is collected and provided by the patient themselves, rather than by a healthcare professional. This can include data such as symptoms, medication use, physical activity levels, and other health-related information that patients can collect and track using various digital tools such as wearables, mobile apps, or online platforms.

The use of PGHD has the potential to enhance the traditional clinical data by providing a more comprehensive picture of a patient’s health, especially when it comes to chronic conditions management. For example, PGHD can be used to monitor symptoms, track medication adherence, and assess the effectiveness of treatments over time. It can also be used to identify patterns or triggers that may indicate an impending exacerbation of a chronic condition.

PGHD can also be used to improve communication between patients and healthcare providers, and to support remote monitoring and self-management of chronic conditions.

However, there are some challenges with PGHD such as data quality, data security and privacy, data integration and interoperability, and data analysis and interpretation. To overcome these challenges, it is important to have proper regulations, guidelines, and standards in place to ensure the quality, security, and privacy of the data, as well as the ability to share and use the data effectively across different healthcare systems and providers.

The goal of PGHD is to improve the quality of care, patient outcomes and self-management, and to empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare.