(1/29/2018)
Much of the groundwork for maintaining and delivering successful value-added services begins with technology. From the C-Suite all the way down to the techs onsite, healthcare organizations are deeply reliant on data and technology. However, technology is only as good as the people who leverage it, so is it a powerful asset or a great hindrance for facilities management operations?
Data Maturation
Successful healthcare executives who understand that data is key for delivering successful outcomes will give it the attention it requires. Data can provide helpful insights enabling the business to make informed decisions about day-to-day operations to strategic direction. Medxcel Facilities Management’s Chief Information Officer, J.D. Duigou, conveys that there are four main layers of data maturity:
- Raw data: the first level, it is simply raw unstructured data residing in disparate systems.
- Information: where we begin to can manually query raw data and begin to structure it in a way that begins to add value.
- Knowledge: where we can begin sharing information via structured queries and reporting providing transparency on activities and trends
- Wisdom: final layer, which is the most mature state of leveraging data via comprehensive dashboards and scorecards providing the most value to the business enabling end-to-end views into the various facets of solutions being delivered while validating areas of focus and opportunities as appropriate.
Many companies struggle with getting through each level of data. Often, they never surpass the raw data layer – leaving potentially valuable data to lay dormant in systems. Successful executives, however, develop awareness in their organization and drive the need for data maturation and integration.
A Winning Formula
When it comes to leveraging data, Duigou has found companies often make the mistake of trying to either over-implement or limp along with manual spreadsheet-based reporting. They often create cumbersome procedures and rigid practices when in fact activities need to be focused on discrete value-driven opportunities. Through their experiences, Medxcel has the processes in place to turn raw data into wisdom adding value by better serving their customers.
Medxcel actively engages their stakeholders by seeking to understand what pertinent information they find meaningful and understanding how it is to be used. This strong business partnership allows IT to understand the value of the data activities while focusing on the most value-added opportunities. By doing this, they effectively deliver tailored solutions that are meaningful to the business.
Goal Outcomes
Successful healthcare executives understand the importance of discerning facts from opinions as essential to their strategies and day-to-day operations. Successful leaders can set the precedence that IT is a strategic advantage, not a disadvantage. They reinforce the importance of associates being actively engaged in data and information processes. They embrace the value of IT and its underlying benefits of service delivery to our customers.
Successful healthcare executives maintain this perspective by ensuring technology is readily consumable regardless of who interacts with the solutions. According to Duigou, 60% of Medxcel’s corporate goals are hinged on, or directly influenced, by technology, which is why IT has a seat at the table within our C-Suite. IT is not an afterthought, but instead, receives the attention it needs.
The way IT solutions are handled can set two virtually identical companies apart. Medxcel’s expertise with turning raw data into wisdom, enables them to create tailored solutions that are accessible by healthcare executives all the way down to the techs in the field. This enables Medxcel to use data as a powerful asset to more efficiently and effectively serve our customers.