Question

How can hospitals use big data to improve on their policy and procedures

Answer 1

SOLUTION:
Big data refers to a large amount of information being digitized, consolidated, standardized, analyzed and modeled.In healthcare, big data uses specific statistics from a population or an individual to research new advancements, reduce costs, and even cure or prevent the onset of diseases. In recent years, healthcare data collection has moved into the digital realm, making analysis faster and more accurate.

The rise of big data today means improvements not just for individual patients, but to the healthcare industry as a whole. Providers are making decisions based on more big data research rather than just their background and experience. With this new approach, the demand for big data in medicine is at an all-time high. That means the technology like SaaS BI tools and the companies that produce them are scrambling to meet the rising need.

Big Data is Helping the Hospitals in following ways:

1. Managed Care

In value-based reimbursement, big data serves as the foundation for how a provider is measured and rewarded for ensuring the good health of a patient. Providers are graded on the quality of care they deliver, often derived from biometric data (BMI, A1c, blood pressure, etc.), as well as completion of yearly preventive and routine care for their patient population.
Accurate treatment:

Information gathered from big data gives providers more insights than they would have otherwise. Collecting data in these ways allows for better decisions, fewer cases of guessing, and better overall patient care. Mayo Clinic is an organization using big-data analytics to help identify patients with multiple conditions. These patients are most likely to benefit from home care, which vastly improves their quality of life. Big data can also identify those at increased risk of illness, giving them more control of their health with minimal medical intervention.

3. Preventing Cases Before They Occur

The Internet of Things (IoT) has resulted in devices like Fitbit and the Apple Watch to track physical movements and increase overall health, with capabilities to send that data to physicians so they can monitor progress. Partnerships between IoT and healthcare companies are further progressing this goal. Fitbit and United Healthcare have joined forces to reward patients up to $1,500 per year for meeting their exercise goals. Apple, Android, and other companies are implementing software into their devices to help people with diabetes. Apple is furthering the connection between technology and healthcare through programs like CareKit, ResearchKit, and HealthKit, which share user data with healthcare providers and researchers.

4. Reducing Errors

The Network for Excellence in Health Innovationreported that prescription errors in the United States affect over 7 million people annually, causing about 7,000 deaths and costing United States healthcare organizations about $21 billion per year. MedAware, an Israeli startup, is trying to combat this disturbing trend by catching errors before they occur. Big data generated from this support tool can save money, reputations, and most importantly, lives.