By Janine Savage, RN, CHC
VP, Product Management, Analytics & Business Intelligence
Improving post-acute outcomes and care team experience
I recently participated in a panel discussion that explored the value that predictive analytics bring to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), their partners, and ultimately to the healthcare continuum – Predictive Analytics to Power Up SNF Performance.
This series of blogs on predictive analytics and value-based care aims to encourage excitement for and adoption of advanced analytics in the post-acute space. Thank you to my colleagues and fellow panelists Bob Latz (Trinity Rehab Services), Majd Alwan (LeadingAge), and Jane Moffett (Net Health) for contributing to this conversation.
"Analytics is so much more than just a digital chart. It's a way of thinking to...help make patient care better." - Jane Moffett, VP of Product Management, Therapy at @NetHealthFits #ForcuraCONNECT #ForcuraWebinar
— Forcura (@Forcura) January 19, 2022
SNF Provider Perspective
Providers currently have access to PAC analytics dashboards and alerts and can use these tools on a regular basis to decrease rehospitalization by identifying risk and intervening earlier.
Alerting requires that documentation is entered in accurately so being informed of missing documentation, coding errors and so on is part of being able to form the basis for these important predictive models. The adage ‘garbage in, garbage out’ applies here – you want sound data at the heart of your analytics and insights.
"Many [SNFs] use dashboards, alerts and tools with predictive analytics to decrease hospitalizations for individuals who are at-risk and to [prevent adverse events]." - Bob Latz, PT, DPT, CHCIO, CIO at @trinityrehabsvc#ForcuraCONNECT #ForcuraWebinar
— Forcura (@Forcura) January 19, 2022
Healthcare Continuum Perspective
In terms of adoption across the healthcare continuum, the adoption rate of data analytics has increased from 31% to 41% in the last 2 years. This is encouraging but still falls short of the omnipresence of technologies like the EHR.
One of the impediments to adoption has been access to and integration of post-acute data. We know that insights from multiple sources of data will yield richer decision support and thus moving towards data liberation and integration is key.
"We've seen a 10% jump in the adoption of predictive analytics in the last year." - Majd Alwan, Ph.D., SVP of Technology & Business Strategy, Executive Director Center for Aging, @LeadingAge#ForcuraCONNECT #ForcuraWebinar
— Forcura (@Forcura) January 19, 2022
Analytics Provider Perspective
We know that using post-acute analytics improves the clinician and care team experience of providing care because we dialog with our users about how analytics are adding value and how are they becoming part of their workflow.
We’ve learned three requirements for analytics adoption and customer satisfaction.
- Integration into the workflow in a way that’s balanced between their existing workflows and changing the workflow based on new information
- Information must be actionable with insights into recommended actions or potential risks
- Results need to be evident at the patient and facility level
Predictive Analytics in Practice – In Summary
Early adopters of predictive analytics in the post-acute space play a vital role in boosting adoption rates and shaping the voice of the SNF in healthcare continuum conversation. Shining a light on successful providers with real world outcomes, and more importantly on successful provider/payer partnerships with demonstrable ROI, will be vital to making predictive analytics as common a part of the care experience as the EHR.
Next Topics in PointRight’s Predictive Analytics Series…
Predictive Analytics Resources
Data Analytics Selection Tool
LeadingAge
Improving Health Outcomes, Resident Experience and Quality through Data Analytics
LeadingAge/ArchCare/PointRight Case Study
Turn Your EMR Data into Valuable Information
Net Health Blog

About the Author

Janine Savage, RN, CHC
VP, Product Management, Analytics & Business Intelligence
Janine provides leadership and direction to create impactful, high-value analytics solutions throughout the Net Health product portfolio. By leveraging her clinical and business operations expertise and working closely with key stakeholders on the design, development, and implementation of analytics, she helps clients achieve their strategic goals and succeed in value-based care.