Organizations just beginning the business intelligence journey often face the same fundamental question of where to begin. While this is the question for organizations in all industries, it is especially true right now in healthcare. There is currently intense pressure on organizations across the industry for providers, payers, purchasers and suppliers to perform better, faster and cheaper. The situation is only going to get worse as the population ages and requires more medical care. Because of this, shortages of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals will become more acute.

The answer to the question of where to begin lies in the analyses that are being performed right now in your organization and the reasons behind them. These reasons could be clinical or business in nature. These reasons could also be driven by research needs to provide evidence for your decisions.

Regardless of the driving forces behind the questions, the solution with the most promise is the same. Data. And the data you need to address key problems is probably data you already own. Examples of such data include quality demands, performance contract demands, ensuring patient safety and improving patient satisfaction. Getting value from that data requires managing data effectively to slice, dice, sort, sum, combine and distill it. This can be done for various decision-making purposes, both inside and outside your organization.

But where do you begin? I offer five steps, along with examples, to help healthcare organizations begin the business intelligence journey below. These five steps are prioritized in order to help you and your organization deliver value early and consistently.

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