Tuesday, November 5, 2013

The Perks of Analyzing Unprocessed Data

When stopping to consider the logistics of unprocessed data, it can be compared to that of unprocessed food. Let’s say a squash. In its original state it’s whole, untouched, and has possibilities galore just waiting to be explored. It could be fried, baked, or turned into spaghetti or soup; if it can be thought of, it can be made. However, if it sits long enough, the squash will rot and ruin the entirety of its potential. Just wasting away.

The same can be said of unprocessed data – when filtered correctly, it becomes a delicious, helpful, entity. But when ignored for too long, it’s just another mess that needs cleaning up.

Which is why it’s all the more important to process important medical data while it can still be used. This information already exists, it simply needs to be picked, sliced, and cooked into a helpful, learning process.

Through the help of specialized computer applications, this data is crunched and made to create patterns and figures. Those results then tell doctors which patients are most likely to become sick, be cured, and what medicines can help them along the way. Then that patient’s info is also added to the stats, and so on and so forth.

Added Benefits to Crunching Data

Better utilization of existing numbers
Improved patient care
Reduced doctor visits
Reduced medical treatment fees
Help to eliminate prescription side effects
Earlier diagnosis rates
Better utilization of doctors’ and medical facilities’ time
More thorough understanding of patient risks and outcomes

Considering this information already exists within medical facilities, there is a goldmine of benefits to be had. All that’s needed is a little bit of software for patients and healthcare providers alike to start seeing these overwhelming positive effects.

Ready to start connecting the dots? Check out our healthcare expertise page to see how medical analytics are helping others.

Why it’s Time to Start Reading Doctor’s Handwriting

For decades patients have been making jokes about doctors’ handwriting. Their chicken scratch prescriptions, scribbled notes, and barely readable John Hancock, have long since been filling notepads and medical charts. And while there may be plenty of evidence as to just how bad their handwriting may be, it’s high time we all get past it.

Why? Patient symptoms, medicine side effects, and more all sit within these doctor diaries, which could mean countless pieces of helpful information. And rather than assuming the notes can never be read, doctors and medical workers alike need to extract that information for the common good. By imputing those pages of data into a computer, it can then be used by preventative and predictive analytics. Specialized software can interpret patterns, and then use it to help keep others well.

Translating the Unreadable

Taking handwritten notes and putting them into a computer may sound like a great job for an intern, but there’s no guarantee the data can be accurately read. (Or understood.) For doctors whose handwriting is so supremely bad that they’re the only ones that can read it, that may mean extra work. However, by using voice recognition programs or even dictating to a person, medical professionals can make short work out of moving important texts. And once in typed format, the notes can then easily be translated into the software or other program.

Whether on notepads or stored away in a personal computer file, it’s time for doctors notes to be shared. Without placing this data into growing analytics programs, there is a huge chunk of data missing from predicative accessibility. In contrast, there are hundreds of studies to be advanced, along with the patients they represent.

Head to our strategic insight page to see how you can get started.

10 Unbelievable Stats On Big Data in Healthcare

For weeks we’ve been talking about just how big, big data has become. From population growth, record collection, and a growing understanding of illnesses, its numbers are quite literally growing off the nonexistent charts. But today we bring the facts. Not only do they incoporate figures and growing trends, but they let us know just how likely doctors are to jump on these analytics bandwagons. Sit back, relax, and prepare to be amazed.

10. New York City has more hospitals than Seattle, Houston, and Detroit combined. (They also employ the most doctors – more than twice that of Los Angeles.)
9. The U.S averages almost $8,000 in healthcare expenses per capita. Norway comes in second place at less than $5,000.
8. In 2010, 30.74% of the country’s healthcare expenses funded hospitals; in comparison, less than 2% went into research.
7. Over the next two years, hospitals expect their revenue sources from risk-based financial reimbursements to double – from 9% to 18%.
6. 75% of hospitals are not exploring accountable care organization models (ACOs).
5. In a controlled test, adverse reactions to pediatric drugs fell by 40% in just two months – with the help of analytics.
4. In 2009, the U.S. spent more on healthcare than Great Britain’s entire GDP.
3. Back in 1970, the average household medical expenses came in at $370 per year.
2. Just three years ago, the U.S. spent nearly $2.5 trillion on healthcare. It’s projected that that number will rise to a whopping $4.5 trillion in 2019.
1. If the United States’ healthcare system was a country, it would host the world’s sixth-largest economy.

Whether believable or not, these stats represent America’s current healthcare situation. But with the help of analytics, these fees can be evened out, along with coverage and equal care.

Stay tuned for even more facts on big data.