Utilizing business intelligence (BI) for healthcare planning and decision-making on a county-wide level

INTRODUCTION: The delivery of today's and the planning for tomorrow's high quality healthcare has become increasingly information intensive. A promising new approach to coordinating and interpreting data is the utilization of new Business Intelligence (BI) Dashboards, reporting system and mapping tools layered with robust data warehouse information. This approach provides promise in supporting effective planning for and addressing the needs of patients, healthcare providers and decision-makers on a County-wide basis. For example, the use of BI allows users to evaluate and utilize data from a hospital setting in the context of a specific geographical area and the demographic information of the populations living there. Thus, assisting decision makers in planning for improved access to healthcare by highlighting where there are vulnerable, health disparate populations who are experiencing higher levels of chronic conditions. DESCRIPTION: Planning for the healthcare needs of disparate populations is important as changes proposed in the Affordable Care Act are instituted. This Session discusses ways the Broward Regional Planning Council (BRHPC), with hospitals from Broward County, have used a BI with a robust Data Warehouse to assist hospitals and human services providers in improving program efficiency and overall functionality, by utilizing healthcare and demographic data (Agency for Health Care Administration, hospitalization utilization, Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs),Diagnosis Related-Groups (DRGs), International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9), Census, American Community Survey)for strategic planning and decision making. LESSONS LEARNED:The delivery of high quality healthcare is information intensive. The importance of evaluating information effectively using predictive analytics, mapping, and forecasting for both clinical staff and planning agencies is imperative. BI systems may assist in utilizing and interpreting hospital/healthcare-setting data (PQIs, DRGs) in conjunction with publicly available demographic data to help ensure local and regional planning agencies consider multiple indicators when developing plans to improved access to healthcare both today and in the future.