Learning Health System

A learning health system is a way of improving care by learning from every patient, every visit, and every outcome. Instead of relying only on small studies or outdated guidelines, learning health systems use real-world data from routine care, including symptoms, treatments, and patient-reported outcomes, to understand what actually helps people.

Learning Health System in Action

A circular four-step workflow diagram illustrating a healthcare data feedback loop. Step 1, “Data Collection,” shows charts and notes that real-world evidence is gathered through patient-reported surveys via the CHOIR platform. Step 2, “Analytics & Knowledge Generation,” shows documents being reviewed and explains that collected data is integrated and analyzed to identify patterns and biomarkers. Step 3, “Actionable Insights & Clinical Decision Support,” shows medical equipment and describes personalized recommendations delivered at the point of care to guide clinical decisions and targeted interventions. Step 4, “Improved Outcomes & System Learning,” shows clinicians with a patient and highlights improved patient health, reduced pain, and continuous system refinement. Curved arrows connect the steps, emphasizing an ongoing feedback loop.
Health Care that Learns and Improves
These systems also support the delivery of digital therapies, allowing evidence-based treatments to be offered online, on demand, or through virtual programs. This information is analyzed continuously and fed back to clinicians, researchers, and patients so care can improve over time. The system “learns” as it goes,making health care smarter and more responsive.
Advancing Personalized Pain Care
For pain care, this approach is especially important. Pain is complex, personal, and often treated with trial and error. Learning health systems help identify which treatments work best for which people, including non-drug options that are safer and more accessible. They make it possible to improve care faster, reduce ineffective or harmful treatments, support shared decision-making, and ensure that patients’ lived experiences directly shape research, policy, and everyday pain care.