Real-world data has become an essential resource in healthcare research, offering valuable insights into patient journeys, treatment effectiveness, and healthcare utilization. In the field of urology, where patient outcomes and treatment patterns are complex, access to high-quality data is critical for health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) teams within life sciences.

However, identifying and assessing relevant datasets remains a significant challenge. Traditional data acquisition methods are slow, fragmented, and resource-intensive, often requiring extensive time and effort.

To address these challenges, Verana Health has partnered with Datavant and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enable a cloud-first approach to real-world data discovery and assessment. This collaboration allows researchers to identify insights from curated electronic health record (EHR) data without moving the underlying datasets, ensuring faster access while preserving privacy.

“Datavant Connect’s new functionality accelerates the identification of our insights from curated EHR data by buyers, without moving the underlying data. This allows our partners quicker access to our unique multi-modal view of the patient journey to help advance their clinical research.”

– Sujay Jadhav, CEO at Verana Health

The Challenge: Unlocking Insights from Fragmented Data

For HEOR professionals, the ability to efficiently access high-quality real-world data and track outcomes is critical for conducting meaningful research in urology. However, traditional approaches to data acquisition and assessment present the following challenges:

• Slow and Inefficient Processes: Identifying and acquiring relevant datasets often requires extensive time and effort, delaying research timelines.
• Fragmented Data Landscape: Data exists across multiple platforms, making it difficult to compile a comprehensive view of patient experiences.
• Privacy Compliance: Strict regulations around patient privacy add complexity to the process, limiting how datasets can be accessed and utilized.

These barriers restrict the ability of HEOR teams to generate timely, data-driven insights, potentially slowing advancements in urology research and patient care.

The Solution: Cloud-First Data Discovery and Assessment

Datavant and AWS are addressing these challenges by introducing cloud-first data discovery and assessment which allows data sources, such as Verana Health, to better surface insights. This approach allows researchers to efficiently evaluate datasets stored in AWS—without requiring data transfers—supporting  a faster, more scalable solution for real-world data utilization.

Why Verana Health is choosing this new approach:

• Expedite Data Identification & Access: Accelerate insights from Verana Health’s specialty curated EHR data in numerous urologic diseases.
• Effortless Dataset Registration: Easily register AWS-stored datasets within Datavant Connect, making them discoverable by researchers.
• Robust Access & Query Controls: Define specific access rules and query permissions, ensuring datasets can be evaluated while preserving privacy.
• Actionable Engagement Insights: Track dataset interactions to monitor engagement, optimize access strategies, and support continued compliance.

With a cloud-first approach, Verana Health reduces friction in the data acquisition process, allowing HEOR teams to quickly access real-world data that is relevant to their research needs while reducing security risks and supporting privacy compliance.

Real-World Impact on Urology Research

By enhancing access to real-world data, HEOR teams can drive more informed decision-making in pharmaceutical research and healthcare, ultimately improving patient outcomes in urology.

Key benefits include:

• Faster Dataset Assessment: Researchers can quickly determine whether a dataset is fit for their studies before committing to acquisition.
• Seamless Integration Into HEOR Workflows: The ability to evaluate datasets in the cloud reduces operational burden and enhances efficiency.

Example Use Cases in Urology Research:

• Evaluating Treatment Patterns & Outcomes: Understanding the real-world impact of various treatment strategies across patient populations.
• Identifying Patient Cohorts for Comparative Effectiveness Studies: Building robust patient groups to assess differences in treatment efficacy.
• Assessing Economic Burden & Resource Utilization: Analyzing healthcare costs and resource allocation to inform value-based care initiatives.

Curious to learn more?  

Limited spots are available in the Lighthouse Partner Program for early users to provide feedback to Datavant and AWS. Join the waitlist here. 

Get in touch with the Verana Health team here.

We’ll also be presenting at ISPOR in May 2025. Hope to see you in Montreal!

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