In healthcare, data analytics is the information that comes through a systematic examination of the structure and elements of healthcare data. This valuable data is usually captured and stored in electronic health records, practice management systems, lab information systems, and other information systems in the organization. However, CIOs and healthcare managers need to invest in data analytics interface integration to harness the full benefits of this data. Some of the benefits of a robust, customizable data analytics interface include:
- Actionable insights
- Decision support for treatment
- Improved physician scheduling
- Improved outreach
- Discovery of disease trends
This article will highlight a few strategies you can use to develop an effective data analytics interface integration.
1. Engage End Users Early
Focus on delivering a satisfying user experience to boost user adoption. User-centered design should take the front seat while engineering and data modeling can come after.
Getting the users engaged at the design stage allows developers to empathize with users and understand their requirements, preferences, and challenges.
For instance, clinicians are end-users of data analytics. Engaging them early will provide a wealth of information that will enable developers to offer analytics for:
- Treatment decision support
- Drug allergy warnings
- Trends in blood glucose levels
- Indicators of improvement of patients’ conditions
2. Get Accurate Data to the Right People
Data analytics can be a powerful tool for improving workflow and patient care. However, if the correct data is not displayed to the right user at the right time, the powerful analytics tool may not serve its purpose. It’s necessary to know the following if you want to provide timely analytics to users:
- Who the users are
- The data and actionable insights they need
- The interface (in EHR, web, or mobile) that meets their needs
- The presentation mode (graphical, text, audio) that the user prefers
3. Help Users to Trust the Data
Information from data analytics must be accurate and trustworthy. When users believe that the figures and graphs are correct, they will use them confidently.
Remember that clinicians make prudent decisions that affect the health and well-being of their patients. And physicians will have to take full responsibility for their treatment plan, whether it was based on accurate data or not.
It is possible to increase the users’ confidence in the data by:
- Adding tooltips to explain data on graphs
- Revealing the factors that have resulted in a particular forecast
- Showing the filters used to produce a specific set of results
4. Combine Data and Insights
Creating attractive data visualizations is exciting. But providing actionable insights along with the data is more beneficial.
Putting data and insights in the same place allows end-users to take action on the analytics without disrupting their workflow. For instance, if analytics shows that a patient’s blood glucose levels have been rising steadily while the doctor views the patient’s chart, it is easy for the doctor to take appropriate steps to help the patient.
5. Exalt Consistency Over Customization
In healthcare, physicians usually prefer consistency in presentation over customization. While it may be desirable to have a host of customization options for users to tinker with, they seldom have the time to do so.
A good rule of thumb is to provide users who need timely data with a consistent interface while generating the tools to filter and configure the reports as required.
It is essential to focus on the end-users and their most important needs for successful data analytics interface integration. Get them involved from the beginning of the project, and they will not only use the interface but also provide valuable ideas on how to improve it.
Contact Us for Your Data Analytics Interface Integration Project
Lifepoint Informatics specializes in healthcare integration and interface development with over 20,000 completed projects. Contact us at 877.522.8378 for a free consultation. Visit our contact page today to book a live demo of our customizable EHR interface solutions.