The Data Problem in Healthcare – What Are We Going to Do About It?

As recently brought to light in CMS Administrator Seema Verma’s statements regarding the need to make claims data readily available, there is a wealth of data that is not being leveraged due to challenges around interoperability and access.

Physicians are acutely aware of this, and according to a recent Quest Diagnostics study, health plan executives agree – 57 percent said that physicians do not have the tools to succeed under value-based care. In the same study, only 39 percent of physicians said that EMRs provide all the data they need to care for their patients. Integrating additional sources of data into the care process is essential for making good decisions, according to providers and payer executives. The study, “Stalled Progress on the Path to Value-Based Care,” is intended to assess physicians and executives’ perspectives on the success of value-based care across the nation.

In an environment where interoperability is presenting such significant barriers to cost-effective and evidence-based care for patients, presenting relevant insights to providers is necessary for success in value-based care. Focused improvement efforts rely on a deep understanding of where change is necessary and who is responsible for effecting change. As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” – and not assigning accountability and assessing performance regularly are the equivalent of planning to fail.

Many organizations are striving to engage and inform providers through performance management solutions – designed to align employee outputs with organizational goals, performance management can help systems to provide high-quality, affordable care.

With that in mind, the question of whether to buy or build a solution often becomes the primary discussion. A recent whitepaper I wrote as Relias’ Vice President of Analytics Product Management, dives into what factors to consider when evaluating this decision – and whether a hybrid of both may be the best answer. Read more about how organizational and technical considerations can shape the path forward for your health system.

Download the White Paper