It’s no secret that healthcare data is sacred and valuable. Why else would there be
But exactly what is health data management and why is it important? We’re sharing five things you need to know to understand how data management affects your healthcare organization.
It’s no secret that healthcare data is sacred and valuable. Why else would there be security breach after security breach from those interested in stealing others’ sensitive information? But what isn’t as commonly discussed is the role that data management plays in organizing and protecting patient information.
#1 – What Is Health Data Management?
Health data management is the process of storing, collecting, and sharing data across a variety of sources. Data management is a critical part of any healthcare organization when delivering optimal care to each patient, so much so that some people have chosen healthcare data management as their career.
#2 – Why Good Data Management Matters
Data management allows organizations to gain a holistic view of every patient’s healthcare. As a result, providers are better able to recommend treatment options, improve communication between patient and provider, and improve the outcomes of the service they provide.
In addition, healthcare leaders can make more informed business decisions when data can provide a big picture look into the organization. Leaders gain a better sense of physician activity, patient engagement, and other information that could prove essential when setting and aligning organizational goals.
#3 – Challenges of Health Data Management
Most healthcare organizations have multiple places where patient-related data is stored, such as electronic medical records, scheduling software, and paper files.
This widespread fragmentation is one of the biggest challenges healthcare organizations face. Because data exists in myriad forms, it’s difficult to achieve a holistic view of each patient’s healthcare.
The sheer volume of healthcare data collected can also complicated management processes. It’s no easy feat to configure a way to organize the millions of potential pieces of data you may collect, and tapping into this data mountain can prove just as challenging.
Physicians and administrative personnel must be specific and intentional when collecting data to ensure that 1) the data is necessary; 2) the data is stored in a consistent manner; and 3) the data is accurate.
In addition, all parties must be proactively engaged in health data management practices to provide a seamless, consistent experience for every user. Setting standard collection and entry procedures is a unique challenge for each organization, as there are many variables that must be considered.
#4 – Best Practices for Better Data Control
Better health data management calls for better technology to help you sort, store, and make sense of the data you collect. For example, a healthcare CRM can provide powerful reporting features to generate insights into each patient to save you from doing this manually. Interconnected systems can easily share data back and forth to eliminate the fragmentation that plagues many healthcare organizations.
The technology exists to help you better control and leverage your data, as long as you’re willing to embrace it.
#5 – How Lifepoint Can Help
Now you know the importance, challenges, and best practices of general data management, but what is health data management to your organization?
Lifepoint can help you put this information into practice to benefit your organization and patients. Our solutions are designed to provide better data collection, storage, and sharing to not only ensure compliance, but also provide a better end-to-end experience for all users.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and see how Lifepoint is reshaping health data management for the better.