Enterprise data management (EDM) is the capability of an organization to govern, integrate, secure, and transmit data acquired from diverse data streams. This also includes the capacity to transfer data to partners, applications, and processes safely and accurately.
The key components of an effective EDM strategy are data governance, data integration, data management, and data security. Here are six best practices you should keep in mind when drafting your enterprise data management strategy.
1. Assess Workflows
Your organization needs to have a good understanding of all your workflows and the kind of data that will be available. This is because it’s only what you can measure that will be managed effectively. While this task could be tedious and time-consuming, it’s a worthwhile venture, nonetheless. It’s during this stage that all the vital processes in your practice will be matched with appropriate data.
2. Define Deliverables
It’s important for your hospital to define what you intend to accomplish through enterprise data management. Some of the questions to ask include:
- What are our major goals?
- What will be left out of the scope of our EDM strategy?
- How do we measure success?
For large health organizations, data projects can be massive with huge daily demands on data. If your healthcare organization is quite large, you need to adopt a phased approach and work out your deliverables incrementally.
3. Set Standards and Procedures
Use standards and procedures as guideposts to keep data where it should be and avoid data breaches and losses. Setting up well-defined procedures will help your staff know the methods and tools to use to comply with standards. For instance, you’ll have to comply with all the basic HIPAA regulations. These regulations will help you protect sensitive patient data and avoid paying huge fines.
4. Inform and Educate
EDM can only succeed if those who uphold its standards, procedures, and policies are well informed about them. From the onset, everyone who deals directly with data should be involved in the project’s planning. A good way to achieve this is to embark on an educational campaign that covers the entire healthcare organization. This equips your physicians, nurses, technicians, and admin staff with the understanding of all the new rules you’re putting in place.
5. Preserve Data Quality
When you’re dealing with sensitive data like patient health information, it’s better to not have any data than to have corrupted and incomplete data. So, you need to develop a culture of data quality. This enables your facility to maintain the data’s integrity and security. Let all staff see themselves as stewards of vital data not only for patients but for the entire health population.
6. Invest in Appropriate Technology and Train Technical Staff
Don’t expect everyone in the facility to be adept at managing data. You need to have some in-house experts and “super-users” who can support other staff with their expertise. Some of your IT staff can also help you negotiate and collaborate with vendors and suppliers of EDM tools and technologies. They will also help you successfully implement any new system you choose for your organization.
Would You Like to Know More About Enterprise Data Management?
Call Lifepoint at 877.522.8378 today to book a free consultation. We’re ready to show you how you can plan and implement a successful enterprise data management project in your practice.