Strategy for Data-Driven Healthcare Management and Innovation

By Mr. Oludotun Akinwunmi (FIIM)

Globally, one thing is certain; the use of data in the integration of systems, structures, plans and processes.

Data like we say today is the new Oil, its management is critical to the different sectors in the economy today. When we talk strategy for data driven healthcare management, I believe we want to begin looking at the different ways in which data can produce for the health care system a holistic view in managing the records and information of patients throughout the medical system, process, and operations.

The age we are now has been technologized, technology seems to control major forms of business and industries. Scaling to the healthcare industry we must ask the following questions:

1. Is Africa ready for a data driven health care system?
2. Is information governance actively managed presently in Africa

I start with Information Governance – What is IG?

This is the management of information at organizational level, it balances the use and security of information; IG helps with legal compliance, operational transparency and reducing expenditures associated with legal discovery. Bringing this into healthcare, we must begin to see or betterstill understand how complex the legal framework governing the use of personal confidential data is. In the US for example, this includes:

1. NHS Act 2006
2. Health and Social Care Act 2012
3. Data protection Act
4. Human Rights Act

Africa boasts of some of the best minds in the Healthcare industry, but all have been exported for some reason Africa should be asking herself the big question: WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HEALTH CARE HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES?

I decided to start with the legal phase of data for us to see how and the importance of getting it right from the start, we must begin to measure our compliance against the law and central guidance to see if we can handle information correctly and protect such from unauthorized access, loss, damage and destruction.

Importance of a good information governance:

With the proliferation of data in different formats at different levels in organizations, we must look at the following and restructure our mindset to work with processes and structures.

1. Data gathering
2. Data analyses
3. Data refining
4. Data governance
5. Data security
6. Data currency
7. Big Data

We are talking about “Strategy for Data Driven Healthcare Management”…

How can a nation build an interface of data driven solution that integrates all healthcare players into one house and manages their different information as at when needed?

This is where Technology comes in, technology can aid healthcare management in the following areas:

1. Improves data quality
2. Enables quality care
3. Enhances clinical researches
4. Supports strategic decision making.

Principles of Information/Data driven system:

1. Accountability
2. Transparency
3. Integrity
4. Reliability

How do we transform data into business asset?

The governance of information must be holistic through management by implementing processes, roles and metrics. The storage and movement of information must be guided and treated with care to attain a proper data governance for effective use in healthcare management.

All around the world, Innovation has been brought into the healthcare system and one of such that we see that deals with our topic today is Medcera.

Medcera is a web-based EMR (electronic medical record) and EHR (electronic health record) system with patient portal. It provides physicians and medical professionals with EMR/EHR and medical practice management technology that includes charting, scheduling, e-prescribing, medical billing, lab and imaging center integrations, referral letters, training, support and a personal health record for patients.

This is Guest Port by Mr. Oludotun Akinwunmi (FIIM).