Data is one of the most powerful tools at an organization’s disposal in the modern world. It has the ability to improve efficiency, advance innovation, and drive decision making in almost every industry if used properly. Healthcare is one sector that stands the most to gain – it’s not an exaggeration to say that many patient lives could be saved with the use of data at its full potential. Skilled nursing facilities are a type of specialized healthcare facility that provide care to patients that need a higher level of individual care. Patients in these facilities are especially vulnerable, and therefore can benefit from higher quality treatments enabled by data-driven decision making. The real question is how should this data be used to unlock its full potential?
The first step is to review the software tools used across the organization, and complete a thorough audit to make sure each tool serves their purpose well. Larger skilled nursing facilities can use over 40+ different software tools, so it’s important to become familiar with which ones manage the essential functions. Popular tools include MatrixCare for clinical, reimbursement, and census management, Procurement Partners for spend management, and NetSuite for financial and billing needs. Best-in-class software should be able to integrate with other tools, so consider upgrading to software that can communicate with other systems.
There is an overwhelming amount of data being collected by healthcare software systems. 30% of the world’s total data volume is generated by the healthcare industry; it appears in many different forms, from diagnostics to electronic medical records to prescription information. However, despite this wealth of information that could be invaluable for patient health, 80% of healthcare executives don’t believe their organization is equipped to handle their data correctly. Their hesitation is justified when considering all of the repercussions caused by poorly handling data, especially in such a highly regulated industry with no room for error. For example, if data is used incorrectly, there can be huge problems with misdiagnosis, medication errors, and even lawsuits.
There are a few indicators that a skilled nursing organization may not be prepared to use its data safely. For one, it uses way too many software systems to store all of its information. This can cause login fatigue for knowledge workers that have to spend about 30% of their work week digging around for the right information to do their jobs. These slow processes can cause workers to make more manual errors. Some organizations also have data silos, where specific departments store their own data and other teams in the org have limited access to their information. These silos limit cross-functional sharing of information, which impedes the efficiency and efficacy of patient care. 48% of companies with data silos have also experienced a data breach at some point in the past year, which can violate some serious regulations, like HIPAA.
Thankfully, there are some surefire ways a skilled nursing facility can improve their data use. One method is implementing a data warehouse. Instead of needing to login to dozens of different platforms and tools, a data warehouse is a centralized repository that can safely store vital information in an accessible way. They can be very expensive and time-consuming to build internally, but it is possible to have third-party vendors implement it. Instead of the data warehouse taking 12-36 months for an internal team of engineers to build, it can be set up in as little as 90 days. Some perks of these externally built warehouses is that they come with pre-built structured models that are designed for easy use.
Another method is shifting to a focus on data analytics. It’s not enough to merely collect a bunch of data; skilled nursing orgs should be diving deep into the meaning behind their data, identifying any relevant trends, and thinking about the implications for their business. Data analytics looks different for each department and their specific process within the organization. For example, good data analytics for reimbursement can help leadership understand how their residents are driving PDPM and CMI rates at their facilities. Workforce management is another great focus for data analytics, as labor costs for skilled nurses are very high. Peering into this data can unearth trends around turnover, overtime, and where more staffing is needed. Spotting trends in clinical data can also directly impact the development of treatments that patients desperately need.
Any data analytics software used by a skilled nursing facility should have a few key characteristics. It should be user-friendly, customizable for specific use cases, easy to integrate with existing software, and accessible through multiple points, including mobile and web apps. After choosing a platform that meets all of these criteria, it’s important to roll out a training program for employees that will be expected to use this platform. WIth the proper implementation and training, a skilled nursing facility can be empowered to use their huge amount of data to provide exceptional care for their patients.
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