Health care decisions must take into account patient preferences, which at times differ from expert recommendations. The nature of health care decisions are more immediate and intrinsic than those made in other settings, creating a hesitancy about overhauling any major aspect of care provision. The immediacy of health care decisions requires regular monitoring of data and extensive staffing and infrastructure to collect and tabulate information. Each of these features creates a barrier to the pervasive use of data analytics. Unlike many other industries, health care decisions deal with hugely sensitive information, require timely information and action, and sometimes have life or death consequences. Sensitivity of care decisionsĪ major barrier to the widespread application of data analytics in health care is the nature of the decisions and the data themselves. To address these barriers, federal policy should emphasize interoperability of health data and prioritize payment reforms that will encourage providers to develop data analytics capabilities.ĭespite the immense promise of health analytics, the industry lags behind other major sectors in taking advantage of cutting-edge tools. These barriers include the nature of health care decisions, problematic data conventions, institutionalized practices in care delivery, and the misaligned incentives of various actors in the industry.
One study even showed that 56 percent of hospitals have no strategies for data governance or analytics.Ĭompared to other industries, the slow pace of innovation reflects challenges that are unique to health care in implementing and applying “big data” tools. Most health care organizations, for example, have yet to devise a clear approach for integrating data analytics into their regular operations. Despite the immense promise of health analytics, the industry lags behind other major sectors in taking advantage of cutting-edge tools. However, recent developments in data analytics also suggest barriers to change that might be more substantial in the health care field than in other parts of the economy. Former Center Coordinator - Center for Health Policy, Brookings