Health Data Analysts

Health data analysts (HDAs) collect, organize, manage, and study a wide range of medical and other data. This includes patient health data (e.g., a patient’s demographic information, medical history, lab results, X-rays, clinical information, notes). Patient information is collected from electronic health records, personal health records, patient portals, electronic prescription services, master patient indexes, patient satisfaction surveys, health-related smartphone apps, and wearable technology. Analysts collect and study a wide range of other data, including information on employee performance and productivity, health insurance claims and benefits, drug trials, and the physical operation of medical facilities. The end goal of their work is to improve patient outcomes (including reducing readmissions and hospital-acquired conditions); increase efficiency and reduce energy use at facilities; lower the cost of care; and help medical executives create budgets, anticipate and plan for future challenges, and determine if it’s a good idea to go through with a merger or sell-off an underperforming business unit. Data analytics techniques, paired with machine learning algorithms, are also now used to detect anomalies in MRI scans and other 3D images in order to reduce the time from imaging to diagnosis.

Typical duties for HDAs include meeting with executives and other stakeholders to identify what types of data are available and relevant to the organization’s needs; collecting and organizing large datasets; analyzing data to find trends and patterns; converting data from complex models into usable information; creating dashboards, reports, and other types of presentations to provide information and recommendations to health care executives; continuing to incorporate new data into ongoing research and analyses; and identifying new sources for data capture and analysis. Some analysts develop software to extract and analyze valuable information from massive datasets.