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Data is key to understanding and improving healthcare services, from improving patient outcomes to reducing inefficiencies and healthcare inequalities. Data in healthcare is also crucial for planning and commissioning services, developing new diagnostics, treatments and insights from analysing data.

The significant growth in the volume of healthcare data in recent years is set to continue. Sarah Belsham, data strategy expert, looks at how healthcare services organisations can ensure they have a future-fit data environment as part of a robust data strategy.

The central role of data in our future healthcare system

Throughout the healthcare system, we are seeing an ever-increasing focus on data. Hospitals and clinics are generating a greater volume and variety of data from more extensive clinical medical records. We are seeing a rapid increase in the use of data-enabled technologies, such as imaging technologies including video capture. 

The Prime Minister has promised will inform the NHS 10-year plan with a focus on preventative care, care in the community and digitalisation. This places greater emphasis on advanced data capture, analysis and sharing as part of early diagnosis and the delivery of localised, personalised treatment. It also indicates an increasing role for home monitoring technologies and devices, such as smartphones and wearables, generating a vast amount of valuable data.

Currently only have achieved digital maturity, despite 86% having implemented some form of Electronic Patient Records. Likewise, only 45% of social care providers use any type of digital care records. This disparity highlights the critical need for continued investment in digital infrastructure to ensure that all health and social care providers have access to modern, secure, and efficient systems. Furthermore, to deliver better services and outcomes for patients and has identified four focus areas: 

• Delivering high-quality care to individuals.
• Understanding, protecting and improving the health of the population.
• Effectively planning, evaluating and improving the delivery of services.
• Researching and developing innovative preventions, diagnostics, treatments, vaccines and other interventions, and monitoring their impact on patient care.

Leveraging value from your data 

Improving operational processes and planning services

In addition to using healthcare data to develop new and enhanced treatments, medical devices and care services, there are many opportunities to leverage data to drive internal efficiencies. For example, analysing data about theatre utilisation in a hospital over a period of time can assist in the planning of future procedures to optimise theatre use and reduce patient waiting times. 

Population health management

Healthcare organisations can also leverage data to gain a comprehensive understanding of the health status and resource needs of specific patient populations, allowing for the proactive management of health outcomes and the overall well-being of communities.

For example, a programme that identified patients with congestive heart failure with the highest risk of hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge enabled a healthcare provider to reduce the 30-day readmission rate by 48% over an 18-month period. This was achieved through the implementation of targeted post-discharge care management for high-risk individuals, including follow-up calls, home health visits and prompt outpatient appointments.

Addressing the growing backlog and waiting times

Data and data-driven tools can support improved delivery and increased efficiency and capacity of outpatient services, and reduce time to diagnosis and treatment.

Commercial opportunities in healthcare data

Such is the value of healthcare data that it is also creating opportunities for sharing and monetisation. Organisations such as pharmaceutical companies, research organisations, MedTech companies, technology companies, data intermediaries and insurance companies are willing to pay increasing amounts depending on the therapeutic focus and type of data.

Effective use and the possibility of monetising healthcare data is directly linked to the accessibility and quality of that data. Healthcare systems are often disparate and numerous, making it difficult to get a connected view of the patient and their needs, and to create personalised treatment or post-treatment plans.

The need for a comprehensive data strategy 

It is, therefore, vital for any healthcare services organisation to develop a robust and future-proof data environment that enables the collection, storage, analysis and sharing of data, underpinned by appropriate data privacy and security.

This is the first step to realising the value of your data and it can be achieved by setting out a comprehensive data strategy based around people, process/data and technology and considering the current and desired state of maturity. This includes developing technical infrastructure and data standards to address data fragmentation and improving timeliness of data collection and access as well as improving data quality and coverage, including addressing sources of bias that might impact health inequalities.

Outlined below are some of the key considerations when developing your data strategy:

People

• Identification of data user groups and training needs analysis
• Plans and approach for data literacy training
• Communication and adoption.

Process/data

• Identification of data sources and data flows (manual and automated)
• Data quality assessment
• Data governance policies and procedures and standards for data management
• Data protection and security.

Technology

• Infrastructure and data platform
• Data integration and storage
• BI and reporting tools
• Cyber security arrangements to manage the increasing threat to healthcare data.

Once your data strategy is in place, you can start to implement advanced analytics and AI solutions, delivering “anytime, anywhere” personalised and remote care. This will provide higher quality, more proactive, and preventative healthcare and reduce costs through decreased emergency department visits and hospitalisation.

A robust data environment will provide the comprehensive insights needed to transition from reactive care to truly preventative healthcare focused on optimising population health outcomes. It will enable the sharing of data across your healthcare ecosystem, supporting a move towards digitally connected, smart healthcare.

How we can help

Every healthcare services organisation is different and will have specific challenges. We will work with you to develop a tailored data strategy and provide hands-on practical experience to support you in the definition and implementation of your data projects.

If you would like to discuss the impact for your healthcare services business, please contact Sarah Belsham or Mohi Khan.