Data and analytics have always played a significant role in business decision-making, but in recent years, data has become an integral part of organizational strategy, especially for healthcare facilities. With continuous innovations in patient care and technology, gathering, understanding, and utilizing real-time data is an unmatched tool for healthcare facility professionals, allowing proactive decision-making to improve operational efficiency. Here, our team of healthcare operations software professionals discusses the impact of data analytics on healthcare facilities and how you can benefit from enhanced reporting opportunities. 

Resource Optimization from KPIs

KPIs, or key performance indicators, are essential for every business. For FMs in healthcare, this can include KPIs such as facility utilization (beds, rooms, equipment), maintenance and repair response times, energy consumption, and compliance. As an FM working with outdated software, you’ve likely found yourself with KPIs in place but no way to monitor or analyze them. Being able to assess KPIs can help you identify areas for improvement, clearly see any gaps that need to be addressed, and identify areas that are already optimized. 

How can you track these KPIs to assist with facility optimization? For utilization, tracking room, bed, and equipment usage is a great start. Are there bottlenecks in room or equipment usage, and how has this been impacting patient care? Our Workplace Services Workgroup can integrate with your current space utilization software to provide clear insights and assist with facility management through room sweeps, to-do lists, and reports on response times for facility employees. You can use this data to see how quickly resources are being turned over, where bottlenecks are coming from, and how you can streamline this process to benefit both staff and patients. 

Proactive Maintenance & Improved Efficiency

Did you know that almost half of the companies in the U.S. spent 21-40% of their operating budget on maintenance equipment and supplies? With a fluctuating economy this year, there is little to no room for inefficiencies with maintenance costs. For healthcare facilities, maintenance isn’t a plus; it’s a necessity. There is no room for downtime or error in equipment or infrastructure, which is why preventative and proactive maintenance is so important. 

Data analytics plays a significant role in optimizing maintenance, providing insights such as the mean time to repair and the mean time between failures. Additionally, reporting can help you work proactively by establishing a preventative maintenance schedule, automating reminders, and more. All of these aspects are extremely important for day-to-day tasks, but analytics also provide resources for directors and decision-makers. By monitoring maintenance costs and breakdowns, as well as the cost of downtime for each equipment piece, you can identify excessive spending on maintenance and use these metrics to implement new software or purchase new equipment as a result. 

Enhanced Patient Safety and Compliance

Lastly, and most importantly, data plays a vital role in enhancing patient safety and compliance. While it is clear that data regarding patient health is the first step in ensuring patient safety, we cannot overlook the importance of the environment that these patients are in. Facilities management software like Intra provides real-time data monitoring of environmental factors around your healthcare facility, ensuring heating and cooling are properly regulated and energy usage is optimized. Not only does this assist with enhancing patient care, but ensures that essential equipment, tools, and medications are properly stored. 

As it relates to compliance, having a comprehensive analytics platform makes a significant difference in ensuring security and compliance protocols are met. Our Document Services Workgroup provides compliance-first solutions for managing maintenance logs, equipment records, and any other essential documents that must be stored within your facility. Additionally, our analytics dashboard is completely configurable, providing resources for regulatory reporting, such as safety measures and equipment tests. We also highly recommend using our software for facility audits, in which you can create a detailed data trail of your audit history, helping you not only meet but exceed compliance requirements.

See the Power of Data with SCLogic

Oftentimes, data collection and analytics strategy can seem overwhelming. With thousands of touchpoints across your healthcare facility, turning data into solutions can be tough. With Intra, our business intelligence tools provide readable, customizable metrics to help you track the most important aspects of your facility. To see how Intra can help your healthcare facility, email [email protected] or schedule a demo today.