Big data and kidney transplantation: Basic concepts and initial experiences

We live in a data-rich world that is ever expanding, and the field of medicine has become particularly enriched with data from the electronic health record (EHR) and from sensors such as EKG monitors, glucometers, and pacemakers. Big Data is a term that is now frequently encountered in both the lay press and the technical literature and is best defined by the extreme volume, variety, or velocity of data. Large relational databases alone do not equate to Big Data (Table 13.2 and see discussion that follows). The magnitude of the data explosion that we live in consciously or unconsciously is underscored, which is outlined throughout this chapter. As a specific example this ever-growing field can have, we will use our recent inquiry into predicting kidney transplant outcomes using a big data approach and discuss the applicability of big data techniques in clinical transplantation.