The Case for Taking Healthcare Data and Analytics Back to Basics
COVID-19 has made a focus on the fundamentals of data literacy and accuracy more crucial than ever, Bane Care Management Director of Data and Performance Analytics Tim Carey argues in this week’s podcast
Covid-19 has had a dramatic effect on in-person care in the US healthcare system and the simultaneous shake-up of data priorities has been no less extreme.
Responding to the changes has been a key priority for Bane Care Management’s Director of Data and Performance Analytics, Tim Carey, in the last six months as he explains in this week’s episode of the Business of Data podcast.
“Pre-Covid-19 we were sending huge data dump files with tons of metrics,” he says. “Is 95% of that even being used? If the answer is no, then why are we doing it?
This reevaluation of data priorities has brought the immediate need for relevant, understandable metrics for healthcare practitioners into sharp relief.
“Our motto is ‘keep it simple’,” he explains. “Have the data in a graph that is visually easy to comprehend. So, within 3–5 seconds you know exactly what that graph is telling you.”
Carey thinks that although the benefits of advanced technologies like AI and advanced analytics have promise, they need to be relatable to people at the level of clinics and hospitals.
“I think there is a lot of work to be done in healthcare,” he says. “When you look at other industries it feels that they are light-years ahead.”
While some healthcare companies may be doing revolutionary work in data and analytics at the corporate level, the models are rarely operational at the level of clinics and hospitals.
“[these technologies] need to be a lot easier for people to comprehend,” he concludes. “The benefits have to trickle down to the people who are closest to the work.”
Key Takeaways
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- Keep it simple. Focusing on understandable data and relevant metrics will help end-users better contextualize their place in the wider business picture
- Take it back to basics. A focus on the fundamentals of data literacy and accuracy will provide a solid base to grow on
- Reevaluate your tools. Has your Electronic Medical Records system (EMR) kept up with the times? If not, it may be bottlenecking the analytical capability of your teams.
