Which statement best defines data governance in a healthcare setting?

• A. Data governance involves only storing data securely
• B. Data governance equals creating marketing reports
• C. Data governance focuses exclusively on data privacy
• D. Data governance encompasses policies and processes for managing data assets, including privacy, security, quality, and access

Answer: (D)

Data governance in healthcare is about establishing the policies, roles, and processes that manage data as an asset across its entire lifecycle. It encompasses privacy, security, data quality, and who can access data, how data is used, and how it’s protected and governed for compliance. This broad, structured framework is what the statement captures when it mentions policies and processes for managing data assets, including privacy, security, quality, and access, making it the best definition. Storing data securely is only one piece of governance; creating marketing reports falls outside governance, and focusing only on privacy misses other essential elements like data quality and access controls.