Most of us have a very linear approach when it comes to dealing with data. If A and B are above a definite number, C has to be a certain value. Not just sometimes, but all the time. And I think it’s safe to say that healthcare data isn’t that way. It’s complex and at times inconsistent, making it difficult to perform a linear analysis.

The number of Accountable Care Organizations in the US has grown exponentially. Currently, there are more than 900 public and private ACOs spread out in the U.S. According to a breakthrough report by CMS highlighting the performance of ACOs, a total of $466 million were saved for Medicare in 2015. The key point to notice- only one-third, 31% of the ACOs managed to generate enough savings to qualify for bonuses.

Data integration is a daunting task for organizations in every sector. We are generating and collecting more data than ever before. However, due to system and integration challenges, we are only halfway through understanding that data and transforming it into knowledge.

We are living in an era of information technology that has been radically transformed by the advent of digital technology as it has shaped the way we communicate. Digital communication, wherein any information transmission largely takes place in the form of data, has deeply entrenched the realm of healthcare. Electronic health records (EHRs) that electronically store all medical data have revolutionized the way care is delivered by making information more accessible and easily transferable.

The healthcare industry, needless to say, has become very efficient at collecting data- be it electronic health records, lab information systems, claims and more. All the incoming data has created a massive reservoir of clinical and financial information- enough to drive considerable healthcare improvement.

The amount of data is just increasing. In fact, the amount of electronic data that exists today is massive and is growing at a rapid rate – more than 2.7 zettabytes (that’s a 1 with 21 zeroes after it) of data exist today. This is projected to grow to 67 times that number in less than two decades. The way to manage this volume of data? – big data technology. With data is the ‘new oil’ being the mantra of leaders today, big data and analytics are all set to drive the next evolutionary jump of healthcare and business as we know it.

Numbers. It’s all in the numbers. As of 2017, the amount of information is growing much more rapidly than our understanding of what to do with it, or our ability to differentiate the useful information from the rest. On the other hand, the inflated health care costs in the U.S. are showing no clear signs of decline. So, we should be directing our focus towards smarter, data-driven solutions or more simply analytics, which will make the job of doctors a lot easier and manage the skyrocketing costs that come in the way of providing quality care to the population they serve. Digitized health information holds the potential to reduce treatment costs, avoid preventable diseases, and improve the quality of life in general. The sooner we optimize its utility, the better will be the care of the patients.

A patient’s expectation, whether in a city or an extremely remote area, from the doctors and hospital staff, is the same and it goes without saying that this recipient of health care services deserves to get what he/she needs; to be treated with best quality medicine, less time-consuming procedure and least costly treatment. Coupled with this, the one who is suffering wants the complete attention of the doctor, nurses and care team while being entitled to stay fully informed about his/her health condition. What this means is, the experience of care for any patient is of utmost importance.

I think it’s clear that over the last few years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been changing the way healthcare is being perceived and delivered in the U.S. From a system that worked on increasing revenue by increasing volume to a system that rewarded providers for improving quality of care, CMS has been instrumental in accelerating value-based care. However around a week ago, the future of value-based care stood at crossroads.

It is no secret that access to health care is a real challenge in rural parts of the world. While the urban landscape of the country now has the means to comfortably avail smooth access to public transportation, advanced medical care, and innovative preventive programs, the rural parts are lagging far behind in these aspects. As appalling as it sounds, the fact remains that 15% of Americans residing in rural parts do not have access to adequate health care. Narrowing down further we find that on average 46 million people living in the countryside are older, sicker, and have less access to medical care than those who live in urban areas, and the gap has widened in recent years.