As oncology grows more complex and the pace of innovation accelerates, life sciences organizations are placing a premium on high-quality, complete, and scalable real-world data. New insights from two independent surveys confirm that data quality and cohort scale are now prerequisites for confident decision-making and insight generation, especially as the industry evolves from retrospective analysis to predictive and AI-driven applications.
A survey conducted by Deloitte and Flatiron Health of 108 biopharma decision-makers found that 45% of respondents rank data quality as the highest priority factor when choosing a predictive modeling partner*, far ahead of expertise and development capabilities. A similar percentage of respondents (48%) identify data quality as the biggest challenge for predictive modeling. The need for a trusted, high-fidelity data partner has never been clearer.
These findings align with broader industry sentiment—reinforcing that the quality imperative extends across the RWE landscape. A separate survey conducted by LSSG and Flatiron Health of 90 RWD decision-makers** found that:
- 89% identified data quality and completeness as extremely or very important
- 84% identified cohort size and scale as extremely or very important
- 75% ranked Flatiron as outperforming competitors on data quality and completeness—including both current customers and non-customers
"These findings confirm what we're hearing from partners across the healthcare industry: the bar for real-world evidence has never been higher," said Michael Bierl, Chief Business Officer at Flatiron Health. "In oncology, data quality isn't a nice-to-have—it's the foundation for every decision that matters; and as the industry moves toward more predictive and AI-driven applications, the gap between high-quality and low-quality data only widens."
In oncology, incomplete or inaccurate data doesn't just limit insights; it can misdirect drug development, delay access to therapies, or obscure signals that matter for patient outcomes. The challenge is that oncology EHR data is inherently complex: critical information lives across clinician notes, biomarker reports, pathology results, and treatment records. Capturing it completely and accurately requires clinical depth, methodological rigor, and advanced curation technology.
Data quality is a strategic accelerant, informing consequential decisions on which drug development pipelines to advance, how to design pivotal studies, and how to position commercial strategy and drive patient centricity. Flatiron has spent the last decade developing the industry’s most advanced oncology data curation platform—combining deep clinical context, rigorous scientific methods, and scalable technology and is recognized as the industry leader when it comes to data quality.
The company’s approach is purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of biopharma:
- Data quality and completeness, grounded in source-level clinical detail and validated through rigorous scientific frameworks
- Scaled, representative patient cohorts that enable robust analysis across both common and rare populations, globally
- Depth of clinical variables that capture the nuance required for high-stakes oncology research
- AI-driven curation validated to meet the same standard as Flatiron’s expert human curation
"We've spent more than a decade building the infrastructure, expertise, and rigor required to meet the needs of this industry moment," said Kate Estep, Chief Product Officer at Flatiron Health. “Our partners rely on us not just for data, but for answers—grounded in science, validated at scale, and built to inform the decisions that matter most. We’re continuing to invest in the quality, depth, and global reach required to help them move forward with confidence.”
Flatiron goes beyond delivering datasets to serve as a strategic partner across the evidence lifecycle. Through its suite of custom real-world evidence (RWE) analytical services, the company works alongside biopharma teams to design studies, generate insights, and translate findings into action.
By integrating advanced analytics, AI-driven data curation, and deep clinical expertise, Flatiron enables partners to design the right analysis and generate insights faster than traditional approaches. By combining rigorous science with AI-powered technology, Flatiron helps partners de-risk decisions and move forward confidence.
As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte Consulting LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of their legal structure. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.
*This survey was conducted in collaboration between Flatiron Health and Deloitte.
**This survey was conducted in collaboration between Flatiron Health and Life Science Strategy Group (LSSG).
About Flatiron
Flatiron Health transforms cancer care and research through a unified, global oncology engine powered by expert-validated AI and deep clinical and scientific expertise. Built from the experiences of millions of patients across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, our real-world evidence informs the research, regulatory, commercial, and treatment decisions shaping oncology today. In the US, our point-of-care technology empowers clinicians to deliver smarter, more connected care while generating deeper insights that help advance cancer research. Flatiron Health is an independent affiliate of the Roche Group. Flatiron.com @FlatironHealth
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