Data Aggregation in Healthcare

In a tech dominated world information is king. Healthcare is a massive area of business, and data is the key to advancement. In this post we will explore three data aggregation reports that are of value within the healthcare space. Be assured though that there are plenty more, and this field is only continuing to grow. The figure below shows how different sources are used to funnel data which can later be processed and used for advancements. Ajitesh Kumar has written an excellent summary page with links for explaining the top healthcare data aggregation companies. These include Athenahealth, Cerner, eClinicalworks, Epic Systems, Greenway Health, and Meditech.

The American Institute of Healthcare Management lists how these aggregates can be utilized in an article titled: The Types of Healthcare Information. The main type of data aggregation many would think of is clinical data such as types of patient encounters, duration of stay, etc. This can be used for enhancing patient outcomes, but can also be used by administrators to plan process improvement initiatives. Another exciting data source that they discuss is compiling external data such as expert knowledge so that it is more accessible to healthcare professionals thus increasing efficiency by reducing time spent referencing resources. As a clinician I personally use uptodate.com frequently as it is compiled peer-reviewed data that is updated frequently. The figure below shows how this aggregation is part of a bigger cycle to maximize outcomes.

An exciting opportunity in this space that is developing is the idea of enhancing productivity through data analysis. Three experts write about this in the Journal of Medical Systems in an article titled: Improving Health Care Management in Hospitals Through a Productivity Dashboard. I anticipate there being some resistance, but identifying where there are areas of improvement will be better for everyone involved in the healthcare process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yFgYD-RYBU

Above is an embedded video on 4 types of healthcare data analysts which I found very interesting when considering this topic. It is an incredibly interesting field, and an aspect of healthcare that is not talked about enough.