How to spark support for important analytics initiatives

MedeAnalytics hosted a webinar with Fierce Healthcare to explore three industry experts’ perspectives on building analytics strategies and maximizing related investments. One of the key themes that emerged during the conversation was the importance of a strong rollout and adoption plan for new analytics investments.

In this post, we walk through key elements of gaining early buy-in from two key healthcare groups — clinicians and senior leaders — as well as powerful tactics for getting staff throughout an organization on board.

How to get key groups on board with analytics initiatives

Senior Leaders

Dave Schweppe, National Vice President of Customer Analytics and Reporting at Kaiser Permanente, underscored the importance of ensuring that leaders have an understanding of -- and enthusiasm for – new investments. He stressed that, particularly given the dollar amount that usually accompanies an analytics development, it’s crucial to show leadership how it will:

• Create enterprise-wide impact on productivity and performance.
• Produce excellent quality information and growth opportunities.
• Advance the organization’s mission and reinforce its values.
• Drive success in value-based care initiatives.
• Generate strong return on investment with long-term benefits to budget.
• Increase leaders’ visibility into and influence on organization’s development and direction.

One way to accomplish these key objectives is to use ‘proof of concept’ adoption and implementation projects to demonstrate how analytics drives better strategies and valuable successes.

Clinicians

Beth Wolf, MD, Medical Director of Health Information Management at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, spoke powerfully about engaging clinicians in analytics advancements and demonstrating the potential of data. She offered the following advice:

• Emphasize how excellent documentation and predictive analytics benefit their patients’ outcomes.
• Ensure the data provided is highly reliable, relevant, accurate and accessible.
• Acknowledge the time and effort it takes for already busy clinicians to learn new systems or implement new strategies.
• Consider supplying them with a dedicated analyst to decrease administrative burden, if possible.
• Encourage clinicians to share data insights and impact with peers at a micro-metric level.
• Solicit their open feedback and recommendations for improvement.

Organization-wide

The third and final industry expert in the webinar, Michael Duke, Principal of the Healthcare Consulting Practice at Baker Tilly U.S., discussed overarching recommendations for gaining buy-in throughout an organization. Central to his recommendations is the idea of a ‘push/pull’ or ‘top down, bottom up’ strategy that cultivates a ‘culture of analytics’ at all levels. This strategy will:

• Foster an inclusive learning environment.
• Reward agility and encouraging constructive feedback.
• Prepare executives to energize staff around the importance of data-based decision making.
• Deploy ‘analytics ambassadors’ to socialize innovations and accelerate adoption.
• Identify and celebrate role models throughout all areas of the organization who are creating data-driven change.

For additional recommendations, download 7 qualities of an authentic 'culture of analytics'