Making the Most of Big Data in Plastic Surgery: Improving Outcomes, Protecting Patients, Informing Service Providers

Abstract

In medicine, "big data" refers to the interdisciplinary analysis of high-volume, diverse clinical and lifestyle information on large patient populations. Recent advancements in data storage and electronic record keeping have enabled the expansion of research in this field. In the United Kingdom, Big data has been highlighted as one of the government's "8 Great Technologies," and the Medical Research Council has invested more than £100 million since 2012 in developing the Health Data Research UK infrastructure. The recent Royal College of Surgeons Commission of the Future of Surgery concluded that analysis of big data is one of the 4 most likely avenues to bring some of the most innovative changes to surgical practice in the 21st century.In this article, we provide an overview of the nascent field of big data analytics in plastic and highlight how it has the potential to improve outcomes, increase safety, and aid service planning.We outline the current resources available, the emerging role of big data within the subspecialties of burns, microsurgery, skin and breast cancer, and how these data can be used. We critically review the limitations and considerations raised with big data, offer suggestions regarding database optimization, and suggest future directions for research in this exciting field.