Data-Rich, Information-Poor Health Care Providers

In 1994, P. Forte and the Centre for Health Planning and Management at Keele University stated that despite “vast quantities of data [being collected] daily,” data from “areas which focus on…the planning, management or service delivery functions” was “neither directly useful nor immediately accessible to provide supporting information.” The report goes on, claiming that “issues of capacity management, clinical quality and outcome measurement, financial viability and the assessment of population health” are not solved – data collected does not equate to useful information. Many care providers and healthcare executives would opine that things have not changed dramatically with regards to data-rich, information-poor (DRIP) syndrome in their organizations. Twenty years and millions of dollars later, and the healthcare industry is still struggling to connect their Big Data investments to measurable performance improvement and better care outcomes.

DRIP: Eradicating the Disease

With the shift to value-based payment models, DRIP syndrome is no longer a pestilent seasonal allergy but a life-threatening disease. Connecting providers with and creating accountability for organizational goals for improvement is a necessity if hospitals and health systems intend to survive. Reimbursement models demand continuous performance improvement, and with multiple service lines and value-based care metrics to manage, achieving this can seem insurmountable. Automating data integration and analytics through an easy-to-use interface gives providers a clear view of where they need to focus and how they are effecting change. Rather than waiting on IT to build a report that may be missing key components or may be difficult to understand, give care providers the information they need to accelerate change in your organization. Learn more about how Relias Analytics helps hospitals and health systems achieve continuous performance improvement and deliver better outcomes today – connect with me on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].