Business Intelligence Technologies

Introduction

Technologies, applications and practices for the collection, analysis, presentation and integration of business information can be categorised in one term: Business intelligence (BI). BI is used to support better decision-making within a business. According to WANG, et al (2012), Business Intelligence is the transfer of existing data into knowledge to help companies make correct business decisions.

Business Intelligence is used to help companies have a more advanced and organised workplace. With BI, a company’s data can all be stored in one efficient place.

This makes it easier for companies to look back on old records and be able to keep their data backed up for a longer period. Companies are also able to look back on their collected data for insights of their business processes, which can then be used for strategic decisions in order to improve productivity, accelerate growth and increase revenue.

Netcare, a private South African healthcare provider strives to provide effective, efficient and quality care through its services.

The company achieves this through the implementation of Business Intelligence, striving to regularly improve their systems and processes. This is a particularly important aspect for Netcare as hospitals especially deal with a lot of data over many months and years. Using BI helps Netcare safely to store data of previous patients, including medical history and personal records. BI is also utilised to gain insight into the company’s financial data, which, in turn, reduces costs while increasing revenues. With the advances in technology that BI offers, Netcare can analyse patient data from various sources such as a different hospital, a private or public clinic, and even laboratories.

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This data can be stored in a secure cloud or server facility and accessed by healthcare workers and administration staff throughout Netcare’s many facilities, resulting in easily accessible information and improved services by Netcare.

The Importance of Internal and External Data in the Operations of Netcare Limited

Business Intelligence systems are designed to accept data from any source internal or external to the organization and to transform those records into actionable information.

Internal Data

As Olszak & Batko (2012) stated, in order to implement BI structures in healthcare successfully it’s extremely vital to identify organizations and their user requirements, by a way of asking questions about, care provider capabilities, fee and availability, effectiveness, conditions and treatment plans, patient information, define a few metrics and put together suitable statistics and presentation layers.

Companies often acquire massive amounts of internal data relating to customers, enterprise operations and financial performance. This data overload provides a challenge to the BI professionals who is required to store, discover and analyze records and present meaningful information to decisions makers (Posthumus, 2008).

Netcare is digitizing medical systems with a purpose to share statistics throughout all their service platforms. This will eliminate the replication of tests, enable a focal point on providing holistic person- centered health and care with the affected patient having a complete document of their health and records. It will supply clinics on the immediate and off -site access to precious clinical records to optimize affected patient care and treatment.

External Data

According to Posthumus (2008), external environment is the arena where potential new customers, possibilities and opportunities exist and where competition poses as a threat. Many groups discover it difficult to locate and integrate statistics on the external data into their existing information systems which is usually designed to report structured internal information. This makes it difficult to accumulate a comprehensive total view of the business and gain advantage against competitors.

Netcare introduced their group-wide digitalization approach for Netcare. By 2022 all their delivery platforms can be completely digitalized. Netcare will partner with four Global telecommunication and IT services in presenting this platform such as, Apple, IBM Watson Micromedex, Qualcomm and Deutsch Telekom. It will allow them to deliver considerably differentiated and enhanced value to their nurses, clinics and most significantly it’s going to improve the quality and safety of the care they offer to their patients (Limited, 2018).

Business Support Systems Used by Netcare Limited

Previously, data were stored and organized in the conventional way, both paper and digitally, which turned into time consuming and difficulty to ensure the preferred degree of efficiency. One of solutions to this problem is Healthcare Information Technology (HIT), including equipment for telehealth, health information exchange and private health records. These systems are based totally on integrated management structures for helping the holistic control of healthcare organizations. All these structures have modular structure. Most professional healthcare organizations all over the world rely upon Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) that help them control all their clinical and administrative data (Olszak & Batko, 2012).

The Business Support System is a complete solution for coping with the medical, administrative, financial and legal data. The overall purpose of HIS is to provide patient care, accomplish optimal economic performance and streamline administration. These systems include the integration of all clinical, administrative and financial programs. HIS includes many programs addressing the wishes of various departments and customers of healthcare organizations. They manipulate the data related to the clinics such as physician information systems, electronic medical records, electronic health records, finance department and many more. A well advanced and implemented HIS offers numerous advantages to a healthcare organization which includes the quality of patient care and treatment as well as better financial management but not limiting to them. It is important to emphasize that HIS must additionally be patient centric, medical staff centric and affordable. Furthermore to the user friendly features, an adequate HIS system has to be available on the internet so that authorized personnel can access the information anytime (Olszak & Batko, 2012).

Netcare introduced Netcare 911 which is a potentially life-saving carrier designed to reduce emergency response time, making sure that Netcare 911 emergency medical employees reach you within the shortest possible time and patients receive the treatment needed on time. The smartphone Netcare app contains a GPS location feature, should you need medical help and you are unaware of your location all you must do is call Netcare 911 from the App.

As we have an ongoing pandemic best known as Covid-19 Netcare has revolutionized medical care by introducing a new digitalized platform known as Netcare Telemedicine. The platform helps ensure patients needs are put first by avoiding exposure to any risk relating especially to the disease. Its electronic health records and billing system eases out the stress of payments and even leaving home in this devastating time. Telemedicine will be beneficial as it is innovative and a well-structured plan towards our current pandemic and putting their patient’s healthcare first but in a cautious manner.

Management Information Systems Used by Netcare Limited and Its Role in the Operations

As stated by Posthumus (2008), management information systems (MIS) and data warehouses are designed to acquire, reserve and distribute internal data to decision makers within the organization. When these systems work, they can provide treasured insights permitting the organization to maximize sales from existing assets and improve operational efficiency to reduce costs.

Management Information Systems generates outputs which includes various visualization reports, actual-time information monitoring, and meaningful organization insights. Like traditional business intelligence platforms, reporting is a critical big data analytics characteristic that allows statistics to be visualized in a useful way to guide users’ everyday operations and assist managers to make faster, better decisions. However, the most crucial output for health care may well be its real-time monitoring of data such as alerts and proactive notifications, real time records navigation, and operational key overall performance indicators. This information is analyzed from resources such as smartphones and private medical devices and may be sent to interested users or made available for monitoring patients’ health and preventing accidental scientific events (Wang, et al., 2018).

Netcare has an implementation of an electronic medical records system which will enable a new level of accuracy, accountability, predictability and convenience with the relationships they have with their patients and partners in the health care ecosystem. It will connect the people, processes and machines required to deliver the best and safest care in a way that has never been done in South Africa before. It will also revolutionize the paper-based, repetitive and uncoordinated system. Duplication in manually recording clinical records and capturing patient information on different forms will be eliminated.

The advantages for their doctors will be significant as access to clinical records in real time away from the bedside and outdoor a faculty will improve monitoring, provide the data and functionally required to make the best treatment decisions. It may also generate new opportunities to use analytics, device mastering and artificial intelligence with a far greater predictability and precision in diagnosis, improved treatment and better health outcomes.

They expect their digital methods to meaningfully improve their workplace, specifically for nurses and assist in reducing the burden away from manual and repetitive administrative tasks, permitting them to commit their time to caring for patients. This will enhance their employee value propositions and inspire individuals to find extra meaning in their work.

The Importance of the Intranet Portal and Extranet Portal in the Operations of Netcare Limited

Intranet Portal

An intranet, the collection of interconnected networks within an organization has been used in the health care organizations. According to Southard, et al. (2000), the current survey effects of the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society, 20% of healthcare establishments were imposing an intranet. The growth in medical intranets can be attributed to its advantages by low-cost connectivity, ease of rapid deployment of the technology, short training times, reduced network administration costs and the ease of development of strategic links between healthcare agencies and outpatient providers.

Netcare utilizes a digital system known as IMedOne, the electronic medical recorder project in the health facility division with sets of information to achieve connectivity across their network of services and provide a virtual and digital interface between patients, doctors, nurses and case managers. The system can automatically download records and data from the numerous monitors in their intensive care and high care units as well as in their theaters. Not only does it improve accuracy of records however it also creates most desirable preconditions for related work at the hospital while easing the pressure on internal resources. It relieves the burden on nursing staff and doctors and is available on the move which makes it very compatible and easy to use.

Extranet Portal

Extranets are the most modern innovation based totally on Internet technology. They are networks between an enterprise and the opposite members of its value chain. Extranet opportunities for healthcare providers lie both upstream and downstream. It provides a manner to link services in a more timely and efficient manner (Southard, et al., 2000).

The extranet can streamline transactions between companies and their providers to the benefit of both. Downstream, providers can forge sturdy links to existing and potential patients while upstream, providers can link to their suppliers. By offering access to local hospital terms of information on valuable services and value-added statistics, clients will become more dependent on the provider (Southard, et al., 2000).

Netcare 911 has completed its digital rollout and is fully digitalized. This network extends across all their systems making it less complicated for patients to get access, navigate the full spectrum of their services and offers to serve patients’ needs at any stage of their lives. It additionally manages inbound calls, patient report forms and electronic invoice presentations as well as information from ambulance machines which will be automatically be transmitted.

The Use of Market Analysis Systems and Decision Support Systems in Netcare Limited’s Operations

Through market analysis a company can gain quantitative and qualitative insights on the relationship between the demand and supply of specific products and services. In the case of Netcare, a market analysis will identify the industries, customers, competitors and financial prospects (or lack thereof) of the medical and healthcare sector. Using a market analysis system, such as the collation of publicly available data coupled with its own internal data collected over years, Netcare can look into the size of the healthcare market, its different customer segments, its competitors and the barriers of entry and regulation within the current and future economic climate.

An example could be the current COVID-19 pandemic that is unfolding globally. In the South African context, Netcare can use analytical data that point to an increase in outpatients wanting COVID-19 testing as well as an increase in medical supplies, personal protection equipment (PPE) and intensive care unit (ICU) patients that require respiratory support. By evaluating the available data – their own as well as the data provided by the government and other healthcare providers – of daily positive COVID-19 patients and calculating the percentage of these patients that may require treatment within a medical setting, Netcare can identify potential opportunities where its facilities can accommodate more testing or patients as well as risks where its facilities may not have enough staff, medical supplies or PPE. Based on these factors, the company can then move on to a Decision Support System (DSS) that will inform the decision-making process on how best to proceed.

DSS are interactive software-based systems that help executives and senior managers make decisions by allowing access to large volumes of information that has been generated from many different related information systems that are involved in organizational processes. Technological advancements have caused the evolution of DSS, it now recognizes decisions made by humans are not always correct and researchers conceptualized information systems that could organize, collect and analyses data to produce clear information to refute, or support decisions made by humans. Decisions generally fall into two categories: programmed and non-programmed. Using a DSS, Netcare will be able to make better projections of the intake of patients to its facilities as well as manage their inventory of medical supplies and PPE better. Through a cloud based DSS that is made available to all their staff across their various locations, Netcare’s healthcare workers can access data that lets them know whether a nearby facility has beds available or is running low on PPE.

Conclusion

There are many advantages for businesses that use BI in the workplace. BI can help improve the reporting and storage process, providing accurate up-to-date information much quicker than older systems that rely on physical records or word processing. By using BI internally, a business will also be able to increase their level of customer satisfaction as the data collected and stored can easily be analyzed and immediate action taken to improve customer experiences or align with market trends. Additionally, the use of BI lowers margins and increases revenue. But needs to be implemented correctly and monitored regularly to ensure it is maintained and does not become outdated due to technological advancements.

Reference List

1. Limited, N., 2018. NETCARE LIMITED ANNUAL INTEGRATED REPORT 2018, Johannesburg: NETCARE LIMITED.
2. Olszak, C. M. & Batko, K., 2012. The Use of Business Intelligence Systems in Healthcare. Proceedings of the Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, pp. 969-976.
3. Posthumus, R., 2008. GIS as a tool in Business Intellegence. Application Technical, pp. 71-74.
4. Southard, P. B., Hong, S. & Siau, K., 2000. Information Technology in the Health Care Industry: A Primer. Proceedings of the 33rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Volume 5, pp. 1-10.
5. WANG, J.-b., FAN, C.-j. & FU, H.-g., 2012. Discussion on Airport Business Intelligence System Architecture. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(13), pp. 134-138.
6. Wang, Y., Kung, L. & Byrd, . T. A., 2018. Big data analytics: Understanding its capabilities and potential benefits for healthcare organizations. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Volume 126, pp. 3-13.