How is data stewardship best defined?

Data stewardship is best defined as the responsible management and maintenance of data. This concept encompasses a range of responsibilities that ensure the integrity, accuracy, and security of data throughout its lifecycle. Effective data stewardship promotes the protection of data assets, ensures that data is reliable and available for use, and facilitates compliance with legal and ethical standards in healthcare.

This definition highlights the critical role that individuals or organizations play in overseeing data practices, ensuring that data is appropriately handled from collection through to usage. Stewardship involves a proactive approach to data governance, protecting data from misuse, and ensuring that it is used appropriately to support decision-making, quality of care, and patient safety.

In contrast, simply collecting data or storing it does not encompass the broader scope of stewardship, which includes continuous oversight, validation, and proper handling of data throughout its lifecycle. Sharing data is also an important aspect of data management in healthcare, but it is not the same as stewardship, which focuses more on the ownership and quality of the data itself.