The “ecm – data value” project is conceived as a follow-up to the much broader “Continuing Medical Education” project (2009-2011)[1], which was implemented within the framework of the CNR – Lazio Region Agreement for the professional development (Continuing Education) of General Pediatricians in the Lazio Region and coordinated by the CNR Office of Co-financed Training Programs.

This follow-up is funded by the same Lazio Region fund as the previous ECM project for General Pediatricians and is included in the Institute’s Project Area “Population, Society, Science, Culture and Globalization” [dus.ad012].

The overall duration of the ecm – data value project is scheduled from February 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022.

The recipients of this intervention are healthcare service operators, particularly Health Directors, Department Directors, Complex Operating Unit Directors and Simple Operating Unit Directors, and Administrative Directors of healthcare facilities.

The study is addressed to them, with the materials developed and publications produced during the project years, with the intent of offering, primarily to medical personnel, a contribution to the culture of data valorization and exploitation.

In the previous – first – year (2018-2019) of the project, an intervention to promote information literacy in the medical sector was carried out.

Three areas for improvement were observed by the Project Manager during previous scientific activities in the healthcare field:

• knowledge of the cognitive potential that information systems available to physicians offer;

• mastery of concepts and techniques for personalized processing;

• awareness of the growing attention and binding regulations for data privacy and security.

The publication “VALORIZATION AND PROTECTION OF CLINICAL DATA FOR THE MEDICAL SECTOR” was produced at the completion of this first year, in order to consolidate, make accessible and disseminate what was developed during the study.

It addresses the three areas for improvement observed and aims to be simultaneously:

• a representation of the current state;

• a conceptual and operational aid for improving physicians’ information literacy, targeting the two major aspects of valorization and information protection of clinical data.

The body of the work comprises three sections:

“section I: information literacy”

• literacy;

• information literacy;

• information literacy in healthcare.

“section II: valorization of clinical data”

• electronic health (eHealth) and Big Data;

• the clinical data information system and the electronic medical record (Electronic Medical Record);

• the design of clinical data with definition criteria, temporal variations of values, classifications and value lists, critical issues and quality actions;

• the critical issues and potential of introducing information technology in wards and the related “research questions.”

“section III: protection of clinical data”

• privacy and security regulations with notes and comments;

• examples, notes and comments on implementation methods for organizational and technical protection measures.

The work also includes:

• the “BIBLIOGRAPHY-SITOGRAPHY” divided by topic and briefly annotated and

• selected “APPENDICES” to offer the typical reader some cognitive and informational references.

An organized repository of over three thousand sources was also established, comprising:

• references to foundational materials for the various areas of interest of the Project, produced by national, EU and international bodies (national and EU regulations, standards, concepts, terms, basic notions, …);

• references to specific materials of a conceptual and operational nature, produced by national, EU and international bodies (research, studies, application developments, …).

In this second year (2020-2021) of the Project, a study was conducted on the social, technical and organizational aspects of new information processing technologies applied to the healthcare sector; the study focused on the two themes “big data” and “decision support systems,” which are clearly preeminent in the field of interest.

The forthcoming publication “Data Valorization in Healthcare: Big Data and Decision Support Systems” will be produced in early 2021 in order to consolidate, make accessible and disseminate what was developed during the year.

The body of the work will comprise three sections:

“section I: new skills / soft skills”

• as necessary professional prerequisites, also drawing on national, EU and international declaratory and programmatic materials;

• data literacy

• data literacy in healthcare.

“section II: big data”

• as a database with its own peculiarities; specific professional skills; specific theories and technologies;

• technical, social and economic aspects;

• national and EU policies and programs.

“section III: decision support systems”

• as technological tools exploiting big data;

• for risk assessment, for prevention / diagnosis / therapy applications.

In the continuation of the project, a third year of study is planned and a further publication will be produced, the content of which is already outlined in continuity with the second year.

It is also intended to develop a training package for an ECM course, with entry and exit tests, specific teaching materials, additional in-depth and reference materials, and to propose the training package to healthcare institutions, professional associations, and institutions.

Massimo Cannatà, Fabio Caiazzo, Marco Calcagno, Marco Di Girolamo, Benedetta Lupoli, Andrea Manieri, Roberto Marzilli, Sara Nardini, Arnaldo Sardoni, Vincenzo Scotto di Palumbo, Aikaterini Selntigia, Filippo M. Vinciguerra