You don’t have to look far to see something about the rising role of data in nearly every industry. Numbers don’t lie, as the adage goes, and they’re just as important in transit and logistics as they are in healthcare. Today, healthcare providers log a vast amount of data regarding patients, treatment plans, operational costs, and more.
They use this data for everything from disease prevention and risk detection to checking for medicinal interactions. This is invaluable for healthcare providers and patients alike, and it’s also changed the way healthcare administration and management work. Now, administrators and managers can look at tons of data to learn key public health information and make important decisions.
While this is all exciting, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and forget about the human side of data-driven healthcare. The human impact is ultimately the most important part of data-driven care, and it evolves all the time.
If you’ve ever visited a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital, then you’ve seen data at work. From the minute you step in, the medical staff will compile data about you and your condition. Now, think about how many healthcare facilities have data about their patients, and consider how valuable that information is.
Everything from the patient’s age, height, and condition to blood test results, X-rays, and prescriptions contributes to big data in healthcare. Such data makes tracking a patient’s condition, progress, treatment plan, and overall health much easier.
That said, data-driven assessments also play a much bigger role in healthcare as a whole. Healthcare data affects healthcare providers, researchers, leaders, and patients alike in many ways, such as:
The ability to access so much precise patient data at a moment’s notice is invaluable. Not only does this help healthcare providers do their jobs effectively, but it also ensures that patients receive the best possible care. Using data, healthcare providers can offer effective, streamlined treatment plans catered directly toward individuals.
For example, a nurse practitioner or doctor can use precise data to discern whether certain medications would interact with a patient’s current prescriptions. Similarly, they can use such data to determine the best treatment plan based on the patient’s medical history and genetics. Doing so can eliminate much of the trial and error that previously existed in the healthcare world.
Previously, it sometimes took a few tries before physicians could determine the best treatment plan for their patients. Finding the best treatment plan may still take time, but having access to precise data can streamline the process. Quick diagnostics and treatment plans can lead to much better patient outcomes.
It’s no secret that the healthcare system is quite expensive for all involved. This affects hospitals, medical supply providers, pharmaceutical companies, and patients alike. However, technological advancements and big data can significantly reduce operational costs and save healthcare providers money.
It all starts with the predictive nature of big data in healthcare, which can reduce hospitalizations and test costs. Using data, healthcare providers can quickly process information and make decisions that may otherwise take days. This can reduce hospitalizations and unnecessary testing, cutting costs for all involved.
The ease of access for patient records, predictive data, and preventative treatment plans can reduce the need for follow-ups in many cases. Not only does this save money, but it also ensures examination rooms and hospital beds stay open. When healthcare providers save money, it can ultimately help people who rely on them save money as well.
For a long time, patients typically relied on phone calls and in-person visits with their healthcare providers for important information. Today, the shift toward data-driven health assessments and applications has significantly changed that. Now, many healthcare organizations, clinics, and hospitals collaborate with third-party applications and telehealth providers.
As such, patients can now access medical records, including test results and examination summaries. This can put patients at ease and reduce the need to call the office while anxiously awaiting test results. Healthcare applications and telehealth services also help people who may otherwise struggle to make it to checkups.
Without this improved access, people with debilitating conditions may not get the same information and care as others. Many of these apps and services also have a messaging feature, which lets patients contact their provider’s office with questions. That alone can offer peace of mind, save time, and reduce the need for unnecessary follow-up appointments.
Running hospitals, clinics, and medical offices takes a lot of hard work, time, and money. How efficiently such establishments are run can ultimately affect the doctors, staff, and patients. Today, data is just as useful in administration and management as it is in examinations and treatment.
Healthcare administrators and managers can use data to cut costs and improve the scheduling process. Using data for an extended period lets administrators forecast patient demands and plan accordingly. Similarly, they can observe local health data to follow trends and schedule the staff or buy supplies to accommodate them.
A well-managed healthcare facility is a matter of public health, and data has become an essential tool. It may take some time to get used to, but embracing data and technology can maximize a facility’s potential. Whether it's for scheduling nurses and purchasing supplies or reducing costs, data-driven healthcare management is the future.
Healthcare data is equally useful to nurses, doctors, administrators, managers, and patients. The ability to streamline treatment plans and reduce the trial and error of diagnostics and prescriptions is invaluable. Not only does it save time and money, but it can also save lives in extreme cases.
Healthcare has changed in that data lets healthcare providers make decisions based strictly on facts. Today, healthcare providers can share this data with patients via third-party applications and telehealth services. This helps save patients money and stress, as stressful follow-ups and long waiting periods are fewer and further between.
Naturally, data collection and management will only improve with time. It will be interesting to see how the role of data in healthcare changes over even just the next few years.
