A Data Protection Scheme For Medical Research Networks Review After Five Years Of Operation

Background The data protection requirements matured in parallel to new clinical tests generating more personal data since the 1960s About ten years ago it was recognized that a generic data protection scheme for medical research networks is required which reinforces patient rights but also allows economically feasible medical research compared to hand carved individual solutionsObjectives To give recommendations for more efficient IT infrastructures for medical research networks in compliance with data protection requirementsMethods The IT intrastructures of three medical research networks were reviewed with respect to the relevant data manage ment modules Recommendations are derived to increase cost efficiency in research net works assessing the consequences of a service provider approach without lowering the data protection levelResults The existing data protection schemes are very complex Smaller research networks cannot afford the implementation of such schemes Larger networks struggle to keep them sustainable Due to a modular redesign in the medical research network community a new approach offers opportunities for an efficent sustainable IT infrastructure involving a service provider concept For standard components 70-80% of the costs could be cut down for open source components about 37% over a three year periodConclusions Future research networks should switch to a service oriented approach to achieve a sustainable, cost efficient IT infrastructure