Healthcare is a huge industry that has been heavily impacted by the digital revolution. Now, more information is readily available to professionals in this field than ever before. There are many challenges that come with this data, but one of the biggest ones is the need to make it meaningful for decision-making purposes. So how can you do that? It's not an easy question to answer, but here are some tips on how to make data more meaningful in healthcare.

The Challenges of Healthcare Business Intelligence

One of the main challenges of healthcare business intelligence is the existence of large data sets. An issue with large data sets is that they often make sense only in a different context, which is a huge problem for business intelligence purposes. When you are only looking at one segment of the data set (say, cardiac mortality in a specific hospital), it's difficult to determine what it means for the overall healthcare industry. "Data that is collected in siloed, non-transparent ways is incomplete and often not meaningful," said Michael Schoeffler, an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of Toronto.

Making Data Meaningful

One of the first steps in making data meaningful in healthcare is to determine what makes data. Is it historical data, demographic data, or industry-specific data? There are many ways to label and organize that data to make it meaningful. One option is to use hierarchical data tables. These tables can be created by grouping related data points together based on their relationship to one another. The three most common ones are Order Diagram Level Tree Data Map Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages. They each can be used effectively depending on the situation. For example, ordering diagrams and data maps are great for determining what patterns may be found in the data and planning related strategies. Level tree diagrams are useful for comparing data across time.

What Can Be Done to Make Data More Meaningful?

Making data useful is all about making it meaningful for the end-user. You need to consider how to make it useful to a person who wants to make a decision. Decisions are influenced by emotion and opinion, so if you can help a healthcare professional make a more informed choice, it will go a long way towards helping patients. However, it's important to not push your personal agenda on an unwilling audience. It's fine to share information that is helpful, but if you're pushing a specific agenda, it's best to avoid trying to influence other healthcare professionals. Some ways to make data more meaningful include: Social media. If you're an industry expert or you can get data from reputable sources, you can share those insights to help inform more individuals.

What Is the Status Quo in Healthcare Business Intelligence?

As I stated in the opening, most businesses that have a focus on healthcare tend to be older companies that are primarily focused on supporting clinical operations. This may mean that you need to hire an outsider to be able to get this information. These are often small companies that rely on IT specialists, and it's important to do research before you hire. You want to make sure that you choose someone with experience in this field, who is familiar with the challenges that come with healthcare. Once you do this research, you'll find that there are many options. There are three basic options that you should consider using the software as a service  SaaSplatforms. These platforms help provide users with the ability to easily create reports.

How to Implement Meaningful Data in Healthcare

Choosing the right Data Sources for Your Healthcare Business The first thing you need to do is choose the right data source to collect your data. This can be one of the biggest challenges you face, as you need to be sure you don't have any legal issues using the source you choose. You also need to find out what the legal liability or exposure is should something happen to the data. That way, you can limit your exposure to potential damages. It also pays to make sure your data source has the type of data that's of most interest to you. That way, you'll have better insight into the data and can use the right tools to make sense of it. Selecting the Right Analytics The next step you need to take is to select the right analytics to use.

BIS is your smart choice for Healthcare Business Intelligence Solutions

We provide solutions for the healthcare industry that will help you to be proactive and initiate preventive care for your patients through smart management. Our business intelligence solutions for the healthcare industry allows you to work with us to provide better patient care and ensure overall health.