Only 10 Percent Of Healthcare Organizations Using Data & Analytics To Fullest Potential, KPMG Survey Finds

21 percent still in their ‘infancy’ with D&A capabilities; Respondents cite data ’silos’ as biggest barrier to implementing analytic tools

Data and analytic (D&A) tools are seen as a means to improve efficiency and quality in healthcare, yet only a small fraction of those in the industry are using these capabilities to their fullest potential, according to a survey from KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm.

In a survey, KPMG asked more than 270 healthcare professionals “Where is your organization in the business and data analytics roadmap?” and found that only 10 percent are using advanced tools for data collection with analytics and predictive capabilities. Twenty-one percent indicated that they are still only “planning their journey.” Of the other respondents, 16 percent said they are using data in strategic decision making, 28 percent are relying on data warehouses to track key performance indicators and 24 percent are using data marts. 

“Many organizations are not where they need to be in leveraging this technology,” said Bharat Rao, Ph.D., KPMG LLP’s national leader for healthcare & life sciences data analytics. "Health care organizations need to employ new approaches to examining healthcare data to uncover patterns about cost and quality, which includes safety, to make better informed decisions.” 

According to survey respondents, the benefits from data and analytics are balanced between business intelligence (34 percent), improving clinical outcomes (27 percent) and lowering costs (24 percent). Life sciences companies see the biggest benefit from business intelligence (56 percent), health plans cite lowering costs (35 percent), and providers – hospitals, physician practices, clinics, etc. – cite improved clinical outcomes (32 percent), followed by business intelligence (29 percent). 

Data & Analytics survey April 2015
Despite seeing the benefits, the respondents also indicate that there are obstacles to properly implementing data and analytics tools. In fact, they cite some significant barriers -- having unstandardized data in silos (37 percent), lack of technology infrastructure (17 percent) and data and analytics skills gaps (15 percent). 

KPMG gathered the results of the survey from 271 respondents, who identified themselves as being employed by providers, payers, or life sciences companies, during a Webcast, titled “Bigger Data, Better Outcomes: How healthcare data and analytics can help your business today,” on March 5.

About KPMG LLP
KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm, is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”). KPMG International’s member firms have 162,000 professionals, including more than 9,000 partners, in 155 countries. For more information, visit www.kpmg.com/us.

About KPMG’s Data & Analytics in Healthcare & Life Sciences
KPMG has made several recent investments in healthcare-related data and analytics capabilities. Clients in the healthcare industry are increasingly realizing the value of strategically using claims, clinical, and other data to improve outcomes and manage costs. KPMG’s advisors and its agreement with Blue Health Intelligence and access to CMS data sets enable deep insights into key issues related to population health, referral patterns, market share, measuring the costs of treatment across the continuum of care and helping payers and providers analytically evaluate the impact of moving from a volume to a value-based model of care.