The Real Payback of Healthcare Analytics: Key Questions from Healthcare Leaders Around the Nation

MedeAnalytics hosted a Fierce Healthcare webinar featuring key senior leaders from three preeminent healthcare organizations in the U.S:

• Dave Schweppe, National Vice President of Customer Analytics and Reporting at Kaiser Permanente
• Beth Wolf, MD, Medical Director of Health Information Management at Roper St. Francis Healthcare
• Michael Duke, Principal of Healthcare Consulting at Baker Tilly U.S.

At the conclusion of the webinar, several of the payer and provider attendees asked important questions of the expert presenters – including how to overcome analytics execution barriers, build widespread adoption efficiently, and more. Read on to get the answers.

Q: What has been one of your biggest hurdles in executing a strong analytics strategy – and how did you overcome?

A (Beth Wolf): Anytime you bring data to physicians, one of the challenges is making sure it is complete and accurate. Data platforms will never be perfect, but it must display an accurate representation of what is happening in their practices and patient encounters. Without that, physicians and clinicians will not buy into the reliability and utility of the data. Addressing skepticism around integrity of the data could look like communicating transparently and inviting honest feedback.

Q: How do you build analytics adoption efficiently and effectively?

A (Michael Duke): Driving adoption is a top down and bottom up process – a simultaneous push and pull. I encourage engaging and deploying ‘analytical ambassadors’ at all levels of the organization. These ambassadors are early adopters who can champion changes and demonstrate the power of data tools in their own roles, practices and decisions.

Q: Can we zoom in a bit closer on the executive level of adoption? How do you persuade reluctant leaders to invest in foundational capabilities that may not have an immediate impact?

A (Dave Schweppe): Reluctant executives are always going to be there – for understandable reasons. Data analysis systems are often expensive, and it’s the executive’s duty to ensure that this type of long term investment is both possible and profitable. It comes down to the cost benefit of doing the work and making the investment. One ‘pro’ to highlight with wavering executives is that excellent data influences both financial costs and quality of information. Remember to put your points in the terms of the executives. Demonstrate clearly what is in for them as well as what is in it for the organization at large (further mission statement, enhance reputation, etc.).

Q: Are we past questions of interoperability, or do they remain?

A (Michael Duke): Interoperability is more important now than it has ever been in the past. Data comes from various places, people and platforms – and isn’t very useful when stuck as separate fragments. Connecting those dots, putting together those puzzle pieces is the only way to drive true value out of your data analytics. This reality was evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which executives, clinicians, and staff alike have craved a common source of truth about infections, hospitalizations, treatments, mortality, vaccinations and more. We can only advance care so much without prioritizing interoperability.

Q: Most organizations use EHRs. Is it better to layer on analytics as well or solely use one platform?

A (Beth Wolf): Rarely does one solution replace another. Though it would be nice to have one master platform, I think that an intentional, thoughtful layering strategy can be very effective, comprehensive and reliable. At Roper St. Francis, we use Cerner and MedeAnalytics platforms in tandem to get the most out of our data analytics strategy. When addressing a specific question or issue, we lean on integrated information from these layered solutions to lead us to the right answer.

Q: Should payers and providers share data? What could be gained from this?

A (Dave Schweppe): That’s a resounding YES from me. Kaiser Permanente is a fully integrated healthcare plan health model, and it’s incredible how much we can accomplish for the benefit of our patients simply by having a clear view into data on both sides of patients’ interactions and experiences. Value-based care is pushing payers and providers in this direction already, but it’s imperative that we think through how to be more collaborative with our information in a way that protects the patient from a coverage and care perspective.  

Interested in learning more from this webinar discussion? Watch it below!