⚕️Healthcare Data Warehousing

Good Morning! Its the cloning anniversary today, for back on 5th July 1996, the first cloned mammal, Dolly - the sheep, was born. Although it was one whole year later that everyone got to know about the same!

DEEP DIVE
Ultimate Guide To Healthcare Data Warehousing

• 23 percent of the executives reported that their companies had generated a data-driven approach, but it was down from 31 percent four years ago.

Healthcare data warehousing is one of the key aspects for creating an integrated data platform.

It comprises of data lake, a connectivity layer, integrations, reporting, analytics, and a data warehouse. The data platform gathers and transforms raw data into usable data for making informed decisions.

Key Features To Look For When Choosing Healthcare Data Warehousing:

While implementing healthcare data warehousing, organizations need to look out for these key features that will help them with efficient data management:

1. Data Storage

2. Data Integration

3. Data Deduplication and Reliability

4. Interoperability

5. Compliance

6. E-signatures

Read the complete guide to healthcare data warehousing that covers the type of warehousing, benefits of it and the cost of implementation here.

PULSE POINTS
Latest Breakthroughs This Week

Here’s the most important breakthroughs and advancements we spotted in the healthcare technology space this week.

• Patient Experience Scores: PX is surging, with ambulatory surgery and medical practices hitting five-year highs. While hospitals and emergency departments are improving, they haven't yet fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Cardiac surgery and Obstetrics were the specialties with highest patient experience scores while Trauma and Telemetry recorded the lowest scores.

• Artificial Intelligence in Radiology: The American College of Radiology has launched the ACR Recognized Center for Healthcare-AI program to recognize radiology facilities that adopt AI technologies safely and effectively. Participating practices must establish an AI governance group, maintain an inventory of algorithms and documentation, document use cases and training procedures, and monitor algorithm performance.

• Remote Patient Monitoring: UC Davis Health, in partnership with Best Buy Health, aims to enhance chronic disease management, particularly for hypertension, through a remote patient monitoring program. The program will utilize Best Buy Health's Current Health platform to monitor over 100,000 patients, using devices like blood pressure cuffs and scales that transmit data to UC Davis Health's electronic medical records. This will enable the UC Davis Health Connected Care Center to access real-time data, fostering quicker responses and a holistic approach to patient care.

• Cybersecurity: The American Hospital Association (AHA) is raising concerns about new hospital reporting requirements proposed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The AHA argues the rules which mandate reporting cyber incidents, ransom payments, and updates within specific time frame, are redundant, burdensome, and create privacy risks. The AHA urges CISA to simplify the requirements, ensure data anonymity, apply rules uniformly across the health sector, and clarify penalties, which they find too harsh.

• HIPAA: Heritage Valley Health System is paying $950,000 to the HHS for HIPAA violations following a ransomware attack. An investigation by HHS' Office for Civil Rights found multiple violations, including failure to conduct a risk assessment, create an emergency plan, and restrict EHR access to authorized users. Read the complete guide to HIPAA security rule and checklist here.

EXPERT SPOTLIGHT
Nima Rad: Adding AI to the Toolbox For Boosting Efficiency

This week, HealthTech Zen got in touch with Nima Rad, a CTO and Co-founder of a fast-growing, series A startup.

Which emerging technologies do you believe will have the greatest impact on healthcare in the near future?

I’m particularly excited about the convergence of AI and genomics. AI’s ability to analyze vast genomic datasets will revolutionize personalized medicine, allowing for tailored treatments and early disease detection. AI can identify genetic markers for diseases like cancer, enabling early and more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans.

What role does/will artificial intelligence play in your current and future projects?

AI is already transforming how we approach healthcare challenges. For example, using AI to analyze radiology images improves diagnostic accuracy and speed, helping radiologists more efficiently identify conditions like tumors or fractures.

Additionally, AI predicts patient deterioration, allowing for timely interventions. Looking ahead, we see AI as a key enabler of precision medicine and a powerful tool for addressing population health needs, such as predicting disease outbreaks, identifying at-risk populations, and optimizing resource allocation to ensure that healthcare systems are prepared and responsive to emerging health threats.

How do you foster a culture of innovation within your technology teams?

We believe innovation thrives in an environment that encourages experimentation and learning. We prioritize creating a safe space for my teams to share ideas, test new approaches, and learn from successes and failures. We regularly revisit our toolbox and add more AI tools that bring efficiency, hold thinking workshops, and cross-functional collaborations to spark creativity and drive innovation.

Continue reading here

DECODER
What Is HIPAA Security Risk Assessment Tool?

The HIPAA Security Risk Assessment Tool, provided by the HHS, helps healthcare organizations assess their compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule. It guides users through a step-by-step process to identify risks and vulnerabilities to protected health information (PHI).

Key features include a questionnaire, threat identification, risk analysis, documentation, and reporting. This tool aids in ensuring HIPAA compliance and preparing for audits.

Get everything you need to know about HIPAA SRA tool here.