What best describes aggregate data in healthcare?

Aggregate data in healthcare refers to summarized information about groups of patients rather than individual patient information. This type of data is typically used to analyze trends, outcomes, or performance metrics across a population, allowing healthcare organizations to derive insights that can inform decision-making and improve care delivery.

For example, aggregate data might involve statistics on the average length of hospital stays for a specific condition, rates of vaccination in certain demographics, or the incidence of a specific healthcare outcome across a given population. By focusing on groups, aggregate data helps organizations understand patterns, allocate resources effectively, and develop strategies for improving patient care at a broader level.

In contrast, data collected on an individual patient is specific and detailed, while raw data refers to unprocessed entries that might not yet provide meaningful insights. Confidential patient information pertains to data that must be protected due to privacy laws, which is not the defining characteristic of aggregate data. Thus, option B accurately captures the essence of what aggregate data entails in the healthcare context.