Strategic Data Stewardship in Modern Healthcare: An Integrated Governance Framework for Ensuring Quality, Privacy, and Ethical Disclosure Across Clinical, Operational, and Analytical Domains
Abstract
Background: The digital transformation of healthcare generates vast sensitive data, creating critical imperatives for robust data governance to ensure quality, privacy, and secure access across clinical and operational domains.
Aim: This study aims to develop an integrated conceptual framework to address pervasive governance gaps in healthcare organizations, including informal data-sharing and unclear accountability, which undermine data reliability and compliance.
Methods: Using a conceptual methodology, the study synthesizes governance theory with healthcare operational realities through a critical analysis of literature and best practices in informatics and data management.
Results: The proposed framework is built on four pillars: (1) strategic leadership and accountability structures; (2) risk-based data classification; (3) formalized request and disclosure workflows; and (4) embedded data quality and metadata management. It provides a structured model to transform data into a governed, high-integrity asset.
Conclusions: Effective data governance is foundational for trustworthy, data-driven healthcare. This framework offers an actionable blueprint for organizations to transition from ad-hoc practices to proactive stewardship, thereby enhancing decision-making, ensuring compliance, and supporting safe patient care.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Sattam Deghaim M Albanaqi, Mohammed Ali Albathali, Nourah Saad Turki Alotaibi, Bader Ghazai Ghazi Alotaibi, Wael Ali Mohammed Otayn, Faisal Awad Mohammed Alsharari, Saad Shtewi Qasiem Alsharari, Abdulrahman Awad Shtewi AlSharari, Faisal Tabia Qasem Alsharari, Jumaah Husain A Alenazi, Mohammed Hathal Thunayyan Alotaibi, Modhi Falaj Herbash Alotaibi
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