The role of registries in improving health and bridging healthcare, research, education, innovation and development: a research department perspective

Health registries are organized systems that collect data on individuals with a particular disease, condition or exposure. The aim of this narrative review was to provide an integrated perspective from the Research Department at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina, on how health registries can be used as a bridge between healthcare, research, education, innovation and development while addressing ethical challenges. The review includes a description of the experience of a registry implemented at our institution, which has provided healthcare for 170 years, and is committed to support, education and research. We focus on the potential of health registries to provide better value healthcare by reducing healthcare costs and improving health outcomes and quality of care, and to improve medical knowledge. However, we also acknowledge and discuss the challenges that accompany these achievements, such as that of ethical issues. Through effective collaboration and integration with other healthcare stakeholders, health registries can be a powerful tool to promote better health.