Cerner markets patient data to pharma, researchers

Even if you're not a health IT specialist, it's hard to miss Cerner, one of the biggest players in the electronic medical records business. That makes it particularly big news when it decides to begin marketing data from its patient records to pharmaceutical companies and researchers.

Cerner is taking advantage of the fact that it has billions of anonymous patient records at its fingertips to begin selling data, culled through data-sharing agreements with about 125 of its clients. Its data warehouse includes 1.2 billion lab results, along with medication orders and other patient data. 

Such a warehouse is a big attraction for pharmaceutical companies, who can use its data to speed the drug development process, and then find markets for the new drugs. It's also a big plus for clinical researchers, who can use it to find new uses for existing drugs.

The deal should be lucrative for Cerner, partly due to licensing deals with researchers, though the company says its LifeSciences Group won't make big bucks right away.

To learn more about Cerner's latest play:
- read this iHealthBeat piece

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