Academician: A national data ecosystem should be established for digital medical records

The development of electronic medical databases, the secure storage of data, and the efficient use of this information are among the main requirements of modern healthcare. Through modern technologies—especially artificial intelligence—it is possible to collect and analyze large amounts of data at both the micro and macro levels. In the medical field, this approach creates broad opportunities for a deeper understanding of the causes of diseases, the selection of personalized treatment strategies, and the prediction of future risks.

Academician Rasim Alguliyev, Vice President of ANAS and Director General of the Institute of Information Technology, shared his views on the topic in an interview with AZERTAC: “Significant steps are being taken by relevant government bodies in this area in our country. The Ministry of Health gives particular importance to digital technologies. Various ICT projects are being implemented, and citizens are actively using e-health services. Society positively receives these services, which offer tangible convenience in daily life. The main goal of centralizing data is to ensure the country’s data sovereignty, meaning that information collected across various fields is stored securely and under controlled conditions according to unified standards.

The establishment of a special data ecosystem for this information plays a key role in the state strategy. Just as there is dedicated infrastructure for storing oil and gas reserves, the same approach should be applied to digital data. Establishing such systems requires substantial financial and technical resources. Data privacy, state security, cybersecurity, and the development of sustainable infrastructure are among the top priorities. At the same time, the systematic storage, regular updating, and proper management of data will make a significant contribution to improving the long-term quality of the healthcare system.”

Academician Rasim Alguliyev emphasized the importance of data-driven healthcare management and aligning personnel training with modern standards: "From now on, management processes in medical institutions, the work of responsible personnel, and doctors’ decision-making mechanisms will be based on data. Overall, the organization of healthcare in our country is gradually transitioning to a data-driven model. Specific tasks have been outlined in the regulatory documents adopted by the Head of State to guide this process.”

The academician noted that these technologies are already being widely used in developed countries. However, their implementation in our country must be based on scientific research that serves national interests. For this, developing the appropriate human resources is of particular importance. In this area, certain work is being carried out, scientific conferences and thematic events are being held, and cooperation is being strengthened among data specialists, doctors, and responsible officials. Currently, this issue is one of the main topics on the agenda of scientists working in Azerbaijan, as well as doctors with an innovative mindset.

Academician Rasim Alguliyev emphasized that this direction is among the priorities of the Ministry of Health. Structural reforms are being observed at the Ministry, and concrete measures are being implemented in the field of medical data management: “As research institutions, we clearly feel the support provided in this field by the Ministry of Health and its leadership. As a result of this cooperation, a memorandum was recently signed between the Institute of Information Technology and Azerbaijan Medical University. The main goal of the memorandum is to organize joint activities in the field of medical informatics and to further develop both educational and scientific research areas. Until now, there has been no systematic training of specialists in medical informatics in our country. However, to succeed in this field, it is necessary to train specialists who possess both ICT and medical knowledge. Over time, professional specialists capable of working with medical data, data analysts, and experts in medical informatics will be trained in our country.”

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