Those looking for signs of acceptance when it comes to the importance of data management in healthcare need look no further than the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH recently created a position for a chief data strategist. The person in this position will advise leadership at NIH on the “large-scale platforms and technology ecosystems” that support the use of data science.
It’s a critical position. The NIH research operation has a $29 billion annual budget and employs more than 18,000 people. The chief data strategist will report directly to the NIH director.
As the healthcare industry grows rapidly, it also is adapting more technology and data-driven practices into daily operations. Healthcare data management involves overseeing the collection, storing, protection and analysis of data pulled from many various sources.
The goal is to create a more thorough picture of a patient’s health through data, ultimately leading to more effective treatments. It also will govern smoother sharing of data between different platforms, making medical operations more efficient.
NIH Data Strategist Role
At NIH, the new chief data strategist position could potentially have a major impact.
Much of it involves analysis of large datasets. One of the key components is creation of a new platform that can accelerate scientific discoveries by NIH. This involves creating strategies for getting more insight from the wealth of data at NIH’s disposal.
Some of the specific issues include research programs in brain activity, the opioid crisis and the Cancer Moonshot. Another critical part of the job will be – as it is with so many organizations today – finding ways to coordinate and promote “harmonization” of data analysis methods and technologies used throughout the various NIH institutes and centers.
The chief data strategist also will represent NIH on data strategy with other federal agencies, Congress, academic institutions, scientific societies, the biomedical research community, the media and NIH partners both in the U.S. and around the world.
It’s tempting to joke that it’s a “sleep optional job.” Or maybe they should hire about four people for this position. But it shows how imperative it is to have a data strategy and someone to lead it in place.
It’s something that private businesses and even sports teams have learned. Now, it’s moving into healthcare.
Advantages of Data Management in Healthcare
Using analysis of large sets of data from various sources can give medical professionals a full “360 view” of a patient. But the oversight of such operations is equally as important.
The largest goals when using data-driven strategy and data analysis with medical services include:
- Improving patient outcomes
- Giving medical professionals as much information as possible to improve real-time decision-making
- Using predictive modeling to improvement patient engagement in prevention of many common diseases and illnesses
But while effectiveness of treatment is paramount, efficiency is also important.
In some cases, efficiency results in better outcomes, as well. Having systems that work in harmony and seamlessly share patient data can lead to better treatments. It also can lead to less wait time for patients and more beneficial use of equipment.
More efficient communication leads to more effective treatments.
There also are financial considerations. The healthcare industry faces soaring costs in many areas, and data-driven strategies can lead to more efficient use of personnel, equipment, supplies and facilities.
Data management, as the NIH decision shows, is becoming a key part of any healthcare operation. That includes hospitals, physician clinics, community centers, long-term care facilities and government-run community centers.
For those entering the health IT profession, the number of career opportunities around this need for data management is only expected to grow.
