Establishing adequate physical, emotional, and mental health restoration that is accessible to everybody is the goal of proper and inexpensive healthcare, as well as, ensuring that such services are provided by qualified personnel. For many years governments, organizations, unions, insurance companies and many others have tried to improve healthcare throughout the world with suggestions crossing boardroom tables on how to improve healthcare services. Among all those great ideas has been the use of technology to improve the healthcare sector.

The advancement of technology has enabled many things to be accomplished in a variety of economic areas, including healthcare. The aspects of internet use with the help of gadgets such as mobile applications, web searches have had a promising future for healthcare. There is a lot to be improved on, but it has been seen to bring healthcare services closer to the customer in the few years.

In the era of information, incorporating information technology systems into healthcare is the surest way to ensure an enhanced patient experience and range of care. Efficient systems can enhance all aspects of the healthcare business from billing, purchasing, appointment and surgery scheduling, process improvement and more.

Here are some ways healthcare businesses can leverage technology to improve their business results.

Analytics Reduce Errors and Improve Operations

Hospitals can only manage what they can measure. With analytics at the centre of operations, healthcare facilities can minimise prescription placement errors and the cost of reordering the right prescription. IT systems can aid healthcare centres to avoid common errors that can demand costly fixes. Analytics enable hospitals to identify bottlenecks and make appropriate changes to staffing. This way, hospitals can monitor and ensure that each staff focuses on the right thing at the right time.

Deliver Fast Services and Improve Patient Experience

With the right technologies, hospitals can deliver faster services and have patients spend less time at the facility. With simple updates and using the right tools coupled with centralized delivery of applications, care centres can cut the time it takes a clinician to access patients’ records. This saves the time spent trying to log in into a slow system and saves the time spent on seeing patients. Prolonged wait times in scheduling appointments or the doctor’s office can cause patients to explore other care options. Updating your technology and systems will enable care centres to stay ahead of the competition in securing patients’ business.

Virtual Healthcare.

Since the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic that struck the world many healthcare facilities opted to cancel most of their physical procedures and accepting to outpatient customers. This was aimed at creating more room to attend to COVID-19 patients and the aim of reducing the chances of spreading the virus as well. At the same time, non-clinical staff moved to work remotely. This measure disrupted operations and affected hospital finances. To circumnavigate some of these challenges, healthcare providers opted to move their appointments to virtual care and provide medical primary care remotely. Patients are today using virtual technologies to interact with their families as hospitals limit visitors. Hospitals lack full control of competitive third-party technologies. A great approach by hospitals is to incorporate third party care technologies into their digital platforms to deliver a better experience for their patients.

Integrated Data Platforms Facilitate Patient-Centred Approach.
Through their healthcare journeys, patients encounter several hospital staff, services and content. Hospitals typically store these interactions in separate computer systems. For example, hospitals keep sensitive data in one computer system not connected to the payment and registration system. These fragmentations do create a clear picture of a patient’s journey. Patients may perceive this as a challenge. Customer data platforms put patient histories, lab results, diagnoses, and other important information in a centralized location. Centralized data eliminates data silos, allow hospitals and other healthcare organizations to improve the patient journey and attain better outcomes.

Remote Patient Monitoring.
Studies show that remote monitoring or telemonitoring can improve patient outcomes in chronic conditions like stroke, heart failure, hypertension, asthma and COPD. The monitoring captures data from Patient Data Management System (PDMS) from bedside medical equipment, which is then summarized and structured for easy interpretation by healthcare staff. Thanks to technological advancements, hospitals can today integrate PDMS with clinical decision support and patients’ electronic records. These systems reduce the time spent on charting and increase the time spent on direct patient care while PDMS reduce the risk of errors. Furthermore, telemedicine tends to enhance accessibility to healthcare and foster patient-physician collaboration.

Access to Information and Data.

The internet alongside data capture systems and search features helps healthcare experts to rapidly share, synthesise and analyse data. Data in healthcare means the entire healthcare system can benefit from comprehensive research studies. Health professionals can easily access large data from diverse populations than before. They can also draw meta-analyses from available studies. With information technology, healthcare providers can stay up today with health care trends, and technologies. Physicians can use this data to automatically determine risk factors and recommend appropriate preventative treatment by comparing patient data with that from thousands of other patients. This has the benefit of reducing costs and enhancing the quality of life.

Technology has influenced the healthcare sector in so many positive ways. It has seen the improvement of real-time activities within health facilities such that there are shortened periods of getting results between departments, improved inter-departmental communications as well as communication between practitioners. It has also seen the reduction of operational costs within the facilities as well as that of the customers’ as well.

Lastly, healthcare technology and e-medicine have been viewed as one of the greatest evolution of technological use around the world. Health Information Systems are being developed in countries to achieve quality HealthCare services. It is the hope of healthcare workers and the technology industry to work hand in hand to ensure that this is achieved and that many lives can be saved through technology in the end.

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The security of your medical information has never been more important than it is today. The creation of secure electronic data transfer on a wide scale is undeniable, but many Americans still have their personal information stored within the paper filing systems of their doctor’s offices in numerous different locations.

Currently, this health care information is shared between medical providers through physical means such as fax, mail, or direct transfer to a different office on behalf of the actual patient. All patients in the medical system have the right to have comprehensive and accurate records that their medical providers can rely on at all times. Fortunately, health information exchange has made it possible for each individual patient’s previous and current medical history to be completely accessible by whatever healthcare professionals they want to see via a shared and secure digital network.

What Exactly Is HIE?

Electronic health information exchange (HIE) is the electronic communication of health-related data between medical institutions, clinicians, and patients. This secure transmission of sensitive medical information is carried out entirely electronically between ONLY approved entities. This reduces total costs, increases patient care speed, safety, quality, and coordination. Below is just a quick snapshot of the numerous benefits associated with this premium data transfer system:

• Circumvent issues associated with patient readmissions.
• Improve the overall patient experience, care, and diagnoses opportunities.
• Lower the rate of duplicate tests conducted on any one patient.
• Sidestep complications associated with an incorrect medication prescription.

If you’re currently on the fence about incorporating this electronic transfer system into your business model, ponder the external benefits associated with this resource aside from just the ease of information. The standardization of this direct data transfer allows you to instantly input patient information into the Electronic Health Record (EHR) of the organization on the receiving end.

The Top Three Types of Health Information Exchange

There are three distinct types of this electronic system that are now known to be used by approved entities in order for it to function successfully.

Directed Exchange.

This secure method is used by numerous health care providers to directly transfer the medical information of each patient to ensure the use of coordinated care. This can include patient referrals, lab results and orders, immunization data, or even discharge summaries. The encrypted form of this extremely sensitive information is sent and received through the internet between trusted providers.

Query-Based Exchange

The trusted organizations with access to these records are able to find and/or request additional information about specific patients from other healthcare providers. This is a great way for any provider to gain knowledge on a new patient who has come to them in search of quality care. Physicians who work in the Emergency Room can truly benefit from this kind of access and reduction of administrative tasks when they must give time-sensitive care.

Consumer-Mediated Exchange.

Consumer-Mediated Exchange allows patients to take back control of their personal medical information. They can easily manage their own health care by gaining access to their information online. If they see any notes that are not correct within their file, they are able to make the necessary changes to the information quickly and efficiently.

These specified classifications exist to ensure every organization is able to utilize the health information exchange to the full extent of their needs and desires. Improving patient care is the goal and every provider now has the digital means to make this a reality through the HIE.

Understanding the Different Architectures.

Within the health information exchange, data is stored using three different architectural methods. These include centralized, decentralized, and hybrid.

Centralized.

The health information that is collected by and from the authorized organizations within the HIE network is stored in one database. This means all the important patient information can be found in one particular repository.

Decentralized.

Each class of health records is stored in its own independent database. The healthcare providers who are part of this electronic transferring system have complete ownership and control over how this information is shared.

Hybrid.

This is a combination of both centralized and decentralized architectures. Some healthcare organizations prefer to use a combination of both.

Through this push and pull exchange, all the necessary patient information is received by the proper organization. This seamless electronic transfer could truly make all the difference in the value of care any given patient is able to receive.

HIPAA Compliance: The Secure Exchange.

The security of the health information exchange rests in the fact that all the HIEs must comply with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) states this rule delivers a baseline of individual privacy requirements on a federal level that is to be adhered to in every single state. Each individual state is able to apply and enforce additional state laws that allow for a higher level of patient privacy protection.

Additionally, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act has stated this electronic transfer must only occur in a connected manner that strives to improve the quality of patient healthcare. The extension of a business associate status to the HIEs also allows for the expansion of federal baseline protections. Given all the current measures put in place, this patient-centric electronic exchange exists to improve the overall patient experience.

Integrate the Best Solution Into Your Practice Today.

The health information exchange (HIE) has transformed into an incredibly streamlined digital process that gives healthcare providers and their patient’s peace of mind when it comes to the transferring of sensitive medical information. This has even become a source to contact The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with quality measure reports.

A convenient system like this forges a path for healthcare providers to truly improve every service they give to their clients. A single appointment can make all the difference.

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In this tutorial we’ll use Microsoft Excel to retrieve data from our SQL Server database. We’ll then model, analyze and visualize the data using Excel’s Power Pivot and Power View features.

Activate the Power Pivot & Power View add-ins

•          Open MS Excel 2013\2016
•          Go to File > Options > Add-Ins
•          In the Manage box, click COM Add-ins> Go
•          Check the Microsoft Office Power Pivot & Power View boxes

Excel 2013

Excel 2016

Power Pivot tab

• Click the Power Pivot tab
  • This is the tab where you work with Power Pivot PivotTables, calculated fields, and key performance indicators (KPIs), and creating linked tables

• Click Manage to open the Power Pivot window

Import Data from SQL Server

• In the Power Pivot window, click Get External Data > From Database > From SQL Server
• In Connect to Microsoft SQL Server Database, in Server or File Name, enter the name of SQL Server instance where your Data Warehouse is located.
•  Click the down arrow to the right of the Database name list, and select an Analysis Services database from the list
•  Click Test Connection to verify that the server is available.

• Click Next
• On the Choose How to Import the Data screen click the radial button for Select from a list of tables and views to choose the data to import
• Click Next
•  Select the tables and views that you want included.
  • You can change any Source Table name to Friendly Name
  • You can click Preview and FIlter to exclude columns and data
• Click Finish to complete import process

Completed Data Import (below)

Diagram View – Table Relationships

Save the Model Project

It is important to frequently save your model project.

To save the model project

• In SQL Server Data Tools, click on the File menu, and then click Save All.

Review Existing Relationships and Add New Relationships

A relationship is a connection between two tables that establishes how the data in those tables should be correlated. For example, the Product table and the Product Subcategory table have a relationship based on the fact that each product belongs to a subcategory.

When you imported data by using the Table Import Wizard, you imported seven tables from the AdventureWorksDW database. Generally, if you import data from a relational source, existing relationships are automatically imported together with the data. However, before you proceed with authoring your model you should verify those relationships between tables were created properly. For this tutorial, you will also add three new relationships.

To add new relationships between tables

• In the model designer, in the Provider table, click and hold on the ProviderID column, then drag the cursor to the Claim column in the Provider table, and then release.
  • A solid line appears showing you have created an active relationship between the ProviderID column in the Provider table and the ProviderID column in the Claim table.
• In the Patient table, click and hold on the RecipientID column, then drag the cursor to the RecipientID column in the Claim table, and then release.
  • A dotted line appears showing you have created an inactive relationship between the RecipientID column in the Patient table and the RecipientID column in the Claim table. You can have multiple relationships between tables, but only one relationship can be active at a time.

To review existing relationships

• Using the top Ribbon, click Home, under the View section click Diagram View.
  • The model designer now appears in Diagram View, a graphical format displaying all of the tables you imported with lines between them. The lines between tables indicate the relationships that were automatically created when you imported the data.
  • Use the minimap controls in the lower-right corner of the model designer to adjust the view to include as many of the tables as possible. You can also click and drag tables to different locations, bringing tables closer together, or putting them in a particular order. Moving tables does not affect the relationships already between the tables. To view all of the columns in a particular table, click and drag on a table edge to expand or make it smaller.

Create a Calculated Column

A calculated column is a column created by a dax formula that creates a value by calculating data that already exists in the model.

Create a calculated column in the Provider table

• sing the top Ribbon, click Home, under the View section click Data View.
  • Calculated columns can only be created by using the model designer in Data View.
• In the model designer, click the Provider table (tab).
• Right-click the Add Column column header, and then click Insert Column.

• A new column named Calculated Column 1 is inserted to the right of the ZipCode column.
• In the formula bar above the table, type the following formula. AutoComplete helps you type the fully qualified names of columns and tables, and lists the functions that are available.
  • =[Title]&” “&[FirstName]&” “&[LastName]
  • When you have finished building the formula, press ENTER.
  • Values are then populated for all the rows in the calculated column. If you scroll down through the table, you will see that rows can have different values for this column, based on the data that is in each row.
• Rename this column to FullName.

Create a Measure

Similar to the calculated columns you created in the previous lesson, a measure is essentially a calculation created using a DAX formula. However, unlike calculated columns, measures are evaluated based on a user selected filter; for example, a particular column or slicer added to the Row Labels field in a PivotTable. A value for each cell in the filter is then calculated by the applied measure. Measures are powerful, flexible calculations that you will want to include in almost all tabular models, to perform dynamic calculations on numerical data.

To create a Daily Average Number of Claims measure in the Claim table

• Click the Claim table(tab).
• In the measure grid (lower pane under the dark grey line), click the top-left empty cell.
• In the formula bar, above the table, type the following formula:
  • Total Claims:=DISTINCTCOUNT([DCN])
  • When you have finished building the formula, press ENTER.
• Create a second measure in the below cell, type the following formula:
  • Daily Avg Claims:=[Total Claims]/DISTINCTCOUNT([AdjudicatedDt])
  • When you have finished building the formula, press ENTER.

• You can format the numeric measure value by the right clicking the cell and selecting Format.

• Once the Formatting Window opens you can then specify how you want to display the numeric value. For our example we utilize the Decimal Number format and then specify the number of decimal places.

• Click Ok.

Create Key Performance Indicators

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to gauge performance of a value, defined by a Base measure, against a Target value, also defined by a measure or by an absolute value. In reporting client applications, KPIs can provide business professionals a quick and easy way to understand a summary of business success or to identify trends.

To create a Daily Average Claim Performance KPI

• In the model designer, click the Claim table (tab).
• In the measure grid, right-click the Daily Avg Claims measure, and then click Create KPI.
  • The Key Performance Indicator dialog box opens.
• In the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dialog box, in Target, select the Absolute Value option.
• In the Absolute Value field, type 15, and then press ENTER.
• In the left (low) slider field, type 6, and then in the right (high) slider field, type 12.
• In Select Icon Style, select the first (red), (yellow), (green) icon type.
• Click OK to complete the KPI.
  • In the measure grid, notice the icon next to the Internet Current Quarter Sales Performance measure. This icon indicates that this measure serves as a Base value for a KPI.

Create a Hierarchy

Hierarchies are metadata that define relationships between two or more columns in a table, thus defining the relative position of column to another column.

To create a Category hierarchy in the Patient table

• Using the top Ribbon, click Home, under the View section click Diagram View.
• Right-click the Patient table, and then click Create Hierarchy. A new hierarchy appears at the bottom of the table window.
• In the hierarchy name, rename the hierarchy by typing PatientLocation, and then press ENTER.
• In the Patient table, right click the State column, in the pop up box go to Add to Hierarchy and then click Locations.
• In the Patient table, click the City column, then drag it to the Locations hierarchy, releasing it below State.
• In the Patient table, click the ZipCode column, then drag it to the Locations hierarchy, releasing it below City.
• In the Patient table, click the Address column, then drag it to the Locations hierarchy, releasing it below ZipCode.
• In the Locations hierarchy, right-click the State column, then click Rename, and then type StateProvince.
• Note: Ensure that the columns in the hierarchy are in logical order. Typically the column with the least uniqueness (based on business) should be near the top of the list and the column with the highest uniqueness (based on the business) should be near the bottom of the list.

Create a PivotTable

• While in Power Pivot click the PivotTable button
• On the Create PivotTable screen select New Worksheet
  • A new PivotTable Worksheet is created
• Under PivotTable Fields do the following
  • Go to Provider. Select FullName.
  • Go to Patient. Select PatientLocation.
  • Go to Claim > Daily Avg Claims, Select Value and Status.
• Give it a title
• Complete. You’ve created a PivotTable

Note: Use the Filters pane (in PivotTable Fields pane) to only display specific data that you want shown in yourPivotTable.

Create a Power View Workbook

• Navigate back to your excel workbook to display your previously created PivotTable
• Using the top Ribbon, go to Insert and then click the Power View button
• Excel creates a Power View Sheet with your data model in the Field List

1. In the Power View Fields list do the following
   1. Go to Patient. Select FullName.
   2. Go to Claim > Daily Avg Claims, Select Value and Status.
2. Go to Design, (In the Switch Visualizations section) go to Other Chart and Select Pie.
3. Go to Layout, (In the Labels section) go to Title and Select None.
4. Drag the edges of the Chart so that it spaced across the top half of the pane.
5. Right Click the white space within the chart and click Copy. Then Right Click the white space below the chart and select Paste.
6. Go to Design, (In the Switch Visualizations section) go to Column Chart and Select Clustured Column.

Filter the data

• In the Power View Fields Pane, Go to Claim and find Year
• Drag Year to the Filters pane
  • Year will now display in the Filters pane
• Click on the Advanced Filter Mode button next to Year in the Filter pane
• Select radial box with the most current year
• The Power View displays the charts for the most current year
• Click where it says, “Click here to add a title” and give it a title.
• Complete, you’ve created a Power View report.

Note: Interactivity: By clicking on any part of either chart, the visualization will interact and react to your selection by highlighting/emphasizing your specific

Note: Interactivity: Direct your mouse/pointer to any portion of your chart – Power View will display additional data about that specific section

Note: You can change or add to the view by making additional selection from the Power View Fields pane

END

You’ve are created a Power Pivot data model and visualized it Power View – all within MS Excel.

Note: The database used in this demo is based on the test healthcare data set made public by I-HFS.

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Edwin Ukpaby, Healthcare I T Professional and CEO of Medix Systems Consultants, met with us to discuss how technology in the healthcare industry has evolved with healthcare business processes.

Originally posted at www.greattechpros.com.

Excerpt from the Interview:

Wylie Blanchard: I T is at a point where we have to be more than “you tell me the problem and I’ll fix it”and we have to look End to End, all the way through to the end of the solution. Is this what you see or an expert, or could an expert just be “you tell me the problem and I’ll fix it” or is an expert more than that?

Edwin Ukpaby: …Years ago technology was something that only the large companies had… As we got into the mini computer era of the medium sized company, and then we went into the micro computer era, more of the progressive professionals was getting involved in it. So there was a time when you were exclusively in that high end club. You’re always going to need it because when you’re in that high end club you need a multitude of skill sets to bring to the table. The reality is when you go to the smaller ones they don’t have the resources to support multiple teams so they need smaller teams with broader skill sets to be able to deliver solutions. We need to package the solutions in a way where, when it is deployed, the deployment process is less complex. So people that think process combined with technology and combined with the unique traits and requirements of the specific industry, in this case, healthcare are going to be the most effective. So that is typically what I would look for. It doesn’t necessarily mean that each individual candidate has to have all of those skill sets but I would want that aptitude and that mind set because it’s not always easy to teach that unless you have someone who is really passionate about adopting that approach and recognizes the importance… Really, the good news is that there’s room to accommodate the traditional way that we’ve done I T and this new paradigm shift. It just happens that this new shift is the new area of opportunity in I T.

Watch the video (above) for more.

Originally posted at www.greattechpros.com.

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Healthcare Consortium of Illinois – Created and implemented several Extract Transform Load processes for various program projects.

Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) ETL Automation:
Created a scheduled automated ETL (Extract Transform Load) process to extract data from SQL Server 2012, transform the data into external clients specified format to an exported file and load file to external ftp site. After the external client processed the data a reply response file is generated and loaded to their ftp site. Created a secondary scheduled procedure to retrieve the response file (placing into the internal server) transform it into internal clients format, cleanse file for errors and load into SQL Server 2012. Utilizing FTP, T-SQL, SSIS, SSMS and Visual Studio.

Care Coordination Claims Data (CCCD) Files Data Migration & Load:
Created automated process to extract data files (GDG datasets) from Illinois HFS’ IBM MVS mainframe, cleanse the data removing duplications and errors and upload into internal instance of SQL Server 2012. Utilizing FTP, T-SQL, SSIS, SSMS,Visual Studio and Generation Data Groups (GDG).

Care Coordination Provider Panel Roster Migration & Processing:
Created automated process to extract data files (csv files) from website interface data repository (IL-HFS MEDI website to Illinois Health Connect web link), cleanse the data removing duplications and errors and upload into internal instance of SQL Server 2012. Created SSIS packages to process the for internal enrollment process. Utilizing HTTP, PHP, T-SQL, SSIS, SSMS and Visual Studio.

6 Months Duration
100-249 Users
100-249 Devices
10 GB Data

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