Using Data Analytics in Practice

You are a new hire in a regional office that oversees 35 long-term care facilities. One of your goals is to build a regional knowledge development program. You have support from your supervisor in developing this new program. Your supervisor went to a recent conference and now understands the potential of using data across facilities for improved decision-making. But your supervisor does not understand how to even begin such a program and is looking to you to provide some guidance. Using the information, answer the following questions:

1. Thinking about the Gartner model that outlines how analytics mature and organizations, what would be your initial goals for a knowledge development program? Discuss initial characteristics of output for a beginning program.

2. One of your first steps would be to assess the health IT capabilities in each of your facilities at the regional level. Think about what you would want to know about each of these. Consider available local functions, (interoperability (information transfer) of systems, repositories at the local or regional level, and support personnel.

3. Thinking about the skills needed for a data scientist, outline an initial team of people you would need to begin the program.

4. Discuss marketing efforts for this program targeted to the executive staff of the long-term care facilities. Create a list of questions that might be answered by using data science.