How big data can detect outbreaks faster in Singapore

 05-Jan-16, Channel News Asia

There is an old adage in medicine that “if you don’t look for a diagnosis, you are unlikely to find it”. But every human being has cognitive blind spots. Even experienced doctors can be caught off-guard by uncommon illnesses presenting in atypical ways.

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In the recent hepatitis C virus outbreak at the Singapore General Hospital, experts in the Independent Review Committee (IRC) noted a gap in the current system, where an unusual hospital-acquired infection like hepatitis C might not be spotted quickly.

To effectively manage an outbreak requires early detection — the earlier, the better. An experienced team can keep a lookout for unusual events. But what about unknown unknowns?

Technology is not a panacea, but it can be a useful support tool for risk horizon scanning, to help decision-makers sense emerging problems earlier. As Singapore embarks on the Smart Nation initiative, we should also ride on using big data to help us beef up the detection and response to any disease outbreak.

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