A brief overview of some terms relating to data and health

Real-time data is information that is collected, processed, and shared immediately, as it happens. Unlike data that is stored and analyzed later, real-time data allows users to see and respond to what’s going on right now. Real-time data is like getting a live update. It’s happening now, and you can use it right away to make quick decisions.

Real-world data (RWD) refers to information collected from real-life settings, outside of controlled experiments or clinical trials. It comes from everyday activities and interactions, such as visits to the doctor, use of devices, or behavior on social media. Real-world data is information about what happens in real life, not in a lab or under tightly controlled conditions. It’s like observing people in their day-to-day lives instead of studying them in an experiment. It is about patient records, insurance claims, or data from wearable devices like Fitbits. For example: tracking how patients use medications in their daily lives and the outcomes they experience.