Healthcare Data Analytics: Four Types of Data
Healthcare data analytics uses specialized programs and algorithms to sift through large volumes of health care information, but where does that information come from? It is useful to understand healthcare data as belonging to one of four categories:
Claims and Cost Data – This type of data can be harvested from insurance claim forms when a health insurance plan member submits a claim. Claims and costs can be correlated by demographics to identify opportunities for intervention or education to improve outcomes.
Pharmaceutical and R&D Data – This type of data includes data from drug efficacy trials and clinical research data that can be used for predictive modeling and other applications.
Clinical Data – Clinical data is recorded by physicians during their interactions with patients and added to patient medical records. The EMR mandate requires healthcare organizations to keep these records in digital format, making it accessible for use in healthcare data analytics.
Patient Behavior and Sentiments – In the United States, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) collects data on patient sentiments through a survey known as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). The data is analyzed by the CMS and posted online, enabling consumers to compare patient satisfaction metrics from a variety of healthcare facilities. Patient behavior data describes how patients engage with care providers and their environments in the health care setting.
