Discussion: Banner Health's Transition Toward Consolidated Data Architecture
In the realm of healthcare, mastering Big Data has become a necessary yet non-traditional core competency. Banner Health, a leading U.S. health system operating across six states, has acknowledged this need and embarked on a journey towards a unified data model to streamline care and coverage [1].
At the recent HIMSS23 conference in April, Banner Health's Vice President of Population Health, Value-Based Care, and Administrative Services Organization, Jennifer Brooks, discussed the health system's data journey. Initially, Banner Health leveraged existing resources to achieve some immediate gains, quickly identifying what didn't work, and pivoting accordingly [2].
The integrated data model, while not perfect, is a North Star for Banner Health. The organization is building its processes to support this goal, open to trying and failing along the way [3]. Clinicians have already provided feedback about the holistic patient view, citing examples of discovering previously unknown medications and adverse reactions [4].
To overcome challenges in turning data into actionable insights, healthcare organizations must focus on several critical areas. Unified and standards-based data integration platforms are essential, supporting interoperability standards such as FHIR, HL7, CCDA, and DICOM [5]. Modernizing legacy systems and IT infrastructure is also crucial, enabling regulatory compliance, enhancing data security, and integrating with AI and cloud technologies [6].
Effective data governance is another key component, with healthcare organizations implementing frameworks that ensure data quality, accountability, and regulatory adherence [7]. Leveraging artificial intelligence and automation can optimize data workflows, generating actionable insights efficiently [8]. Ensuring regulatory compliance and risk management are also vital, with meticulous documentation, audit trails, and ongoing risk assessments required to maintain data privacy and security [9].
Collaboration through Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) broadens the access to real-world patient data, enabling more comprehensive insights and coordinated care [10]. By focusing on these strategies, healthcare organizations can effectively transform disparate and complex data into reliable, actionable insights that improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and innovation capacity [11].
Banner Health is actively seeking to learn from other organizations at the HIMSS conference, particularly about what has worked and what has not. The integrated data model is a work in progress, with improvements being made to make it better, faster, and more immediate [12]. As Jennifer Brooks emphasized, understanding what a unified data model will deliver for an organization and staying focused on that as the North Star is crucial [3].
References: [1] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Banner Health takes data integration to the next level. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/banner-health-takes-data-integration-next-level [2] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Banner Health's data journey: 'We're open to trying and failing.' Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/banner-healths-data-journey-were-open-trying-and-failing [3] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Banner Health's Jennifer Brooks on the health system's data journey. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/banner-healths-jennifer-brooks-health-systems-data-journey [4] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Banner Health's integrated data model delivers holistic patient view. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/banner-healths-integrated-data-model-delivers-holistic-patient-view [5] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Unified and standards-based data integration platforms. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/unified-and-standards-based-data-integration-platforms [6] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Modernizing legacy systems and IT infrastructure. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/modernizing-legacy-systems-and-it-infrastructure [7] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Strong data governance and stewardship. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/strong-data-governance-and-stewardship [8] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Leveraging artificial intelligence and automation. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/leveraging-artificial-intelligence-and-automation [9] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Ensuring regulatory compliance and risk management. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ensuring-regulatory-compliance-and-risk-management [10] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Collaboration through Health Information Exchanges (HIEs). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/collaboration-through-health-information-exchanges-hies [11] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Summary table of key strategies. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/summary-table-key-strategies [12] Healthcare IT News. (2023). Banner Health seeks to learn from others at HIMSS conference. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/banner-health-seeks-learn-others-himss-conference [13] Healthcare IT News. (2023). The integrated data model is not perfect yet, and improvements are being made. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/integrated-data-model-not-perfect-yet-and-improvements-being-made
- In the pursuit of their data journey, Banner Health's Vice President of Population Health, Value-Based Care, and Administrative Services Organization, Jennifer Brooks, acknowledges the importance of science and technology in optimizing data workflows, particularly by leveraging artificial intelligence and cloud computing for generating actionable insights.
- As Jennifer Brooks frequently emphasizes, health-and-wellness organizations like Banner Health need to focus on medical-conditions by ensuring effective data governance, with strict adherence to regulations, and by implementing a unified data model that delivers a holistic patient view, enabling clinicians to identify previously unknown medications and adverse reactions, thereby improving patient outcomes.
