Five Smart Big Data Applications In Healthcare
Technology has changed how we think about and manage data. Digitalization has made most processes automatic. So people do not have to waste too much time on useless procedures.
Big Data is a set of complex information that contains insights into a business’s ins and outs. It helps solve business problems with innovation and improved decision-making. Furthermore, artificial intelligence evaluates the comprehensive data and identifies patterns and trends for forecasting.
What is the purpose of using Big Data in healthcare?
Big Data can potentially prevent the outbreak of epidemics, improve diagnosis and reduce costs in healthcare. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention used data to track the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Most institutions have had difficulty with gathering medical data to improve health reports. Not only can such information improve health reports, but it can also improve patient treatment. And this is where big data can help.
Healthcare analytics is all about using data insights to solve health-related problems before they happen. As patient care becomes more complex, detailed analytics may provide quality and safe patient treatment. Furthermore, most healthcare institutions face challenges when keeping records for their clinical and accounting departments. Big data can also simplify these processes and improve productivity and the revenue stream for healthcare institutions. Therefore, this tech will penetrate the healthcare sector in the next few years even further.
Interestingly, the healthcare sector is the largest employer within the United States of America. According to research, 20% of the GDP comes from healthcare. So, to improve functions, big data applications will grow in healthcare. One study found that the big data market will hit $34 billion within one year.
Indeed, a healthcare data analyst can also help medical professionals implement tech to develop better drugs. Since AI relies on computerized processes, the healthcare analyst can update data to improve treatment.
With that said, here are some ways the healthcare sector is already reaping the benefits of incorporating big data daily.
- Optimizing staffing
Staffing in healthcare is a complex and persistent issue. Many nurse administrators struggle with deciding how many people should be on call at any given time. Managers have to maintain a delicate balance between having extra people or too few people on a shift. Often, it is the latter of the two.
Fortunately, big data has solved this issue by improving predictions. Four French hospitals successfully predicted how many patients will come to the hospital during the recent pandemic with big data. And the best thing is that they could make hourly predictions to see relevant patterns in admission rates.
- Innovative healthcare solutions
Meditech is the new frontier in medicine. With technology, researchers and clinicians can discover healthcare solutions to provide better patient care. Wearable sensor devices have revolutionized patient care in the 21st Century. The Philips wearable sensor device helps patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lead better lifestyles.
Furthermore, big data makes it easier to recognize fatal outgrowths. The National Centre for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg uses big data to identify millions of tumors through doctors’ notes. Researchers have created a unique tumor registry to help healthcare providers identify benign tumors. CancerLinQ is another such tool. It collects data from 1 million cancer patients to provide more reliable and accurate treatment options.
- Prevent errors
According to the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, the healthcare industry faces $80 billion in losses annually to healthcare abuse, fraud, and waste. Therefore, 10% of the total spending in this sector is because of human error.
Additionally, healthcare professionals have to submit paperwork to accounting and billing departments. It inevitably leaves more room for errors and fraud as such processes are time-consuming and expensive for the institutions when carried out manually.
Luckily, big data can easily detect frauds and prevent them. For example, MedAware integrates with EHR systems to detect prescription errors. It can prevent these errors by alerting the medication outliers.
The Children’s Hospital in Pheonix has also introduced a dosage range checking platform. It prevents overdosing and underdosing. The system generates alerts to warn prescribers about harmful dosage before they fill in the orders.
- Telemedicine:
Even though telemedicine has been around for the past 40 years, recent technological advancements have made it more useful. Telemedicine means using electronic information to make healthcare solutions and treatments more accessible. All patients need is a device with internet connectivity to get medical care without ever visiting the hospital. It can help in the initial diagnosis and patient treatment. Since patients can consult doctors anywhere, telemedicine improves the availability of care.
Telemedicine has been a godsend during COVID-19. It has prevented extra contact with healthcare facilities and reduced the number of unnecessary visits to the ER.
- Electronic health records
EHRs have revolutionized the healthcare industry. It is also the most widespread application of technology and big data within the healthcare sector. 96% of 4,526 American hospitals have EHR technology. Every patient has their separate metrics that are necessary for treatment. For example, information on allergies, gender, old treatment records, and test results can help doctors improve prognosis and provide better treatment. EHRs can also remind patients to take their medicines and conduct follow-up visits.
EHRs also save time spent on paperwork. Doctors can easily access patient records and make appropriate amendments on the go. Kaiser Permanente is leading the way in implementing EHRs in America. Their HealthConnect system shares data across all medical facilities and makes it easier to use it in EHRs. The best thing is that this technology has saved millions from reduced office visits and test results.
Who can benefit from Big Data in healthcare?
Big Data benefits everyone in the healthcare sector. From healthcare providers to big pharma, everyone is a winner. Clinics and hospitals can improve treatment and reduce wastage. They can also improve workflow and make princesses more efficient and productive.
Insurance payers also gain a lot from the use of big data in healthcare. With the help of technology, they can prevent fraud and reduce the chance of human errors in billing and accounting processes. It can also reduce false claims and improve service outcomes. A paperless system is easier to manage.
Big data applications in the industry can also improve the lives of patients. With this technology, they can get better care, lead healthier lives and save money. Wearable tech can improve their health management, and manufacturers can build better devices to solve pressing health issues. They can use data insights to innovate their products according to patient needs.
Last but not least, big data can improve research and development in healthcare. It can make drugs more effective and cut manufacturing costs. Predictive modeling in drug discovery can reduce R & D cost and time by half.
Conclusion
Big data has changed how we think about everything. It has been revolutionary in the healthcare sector by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and delivering better patient outcomes. Furthermore, big data can help clinicians give targeted healthcare to get better results. It also designs innovative drugs in half the time. Therefore it is necessary to integrate big data in the healthcare sector to tackle the most significant issues that threaten our well-being.
