Tableau Killed The Healthcare Data Analyst: 5 Ways Analysts Can Fight Back
Healthcare organization embrace of quality improvement and process improvement lead organizations to develop and rely on key performance indicators (KPIs). Since the 90’s, software has been developed to make collecting, connecting, cleaning, visualizing, and analyzing data easier. Interactive dashboards like Tableau, Qlik, and Power BI have become popular in recent years. Tableau has a tagline stating that their products, “…helps people see and understand data.” The company goes on to say, “Anyone can analyze data...No programming, just insight.” Healthcare organizations have bought these ideas too quickly to their own detriment.
Looking in healthcare today, there are numerous jobs that are labeled as an Analyst of some sort. In my career, I have been an Analyst many times. But rarely has my job been dedicated to analyzing data. In recent years, healthcare analysts are more like report writers, data architects, or dashboard developers. Analysts’ roles now are more focused on getting non-analysts data to analyze than actually analyzing data themselves. Analyst roles in modern healthcare have been eliminated and replaced by anyone who can access Tableau.
Tableau and other data visualization tools have made it easier for individuals without a background in data analysis to work with data and create visualizations. However, Tableau has not eliminated the need for analysts. Data analysis involves much more than just creating charts and graphs. Skilled analysts are still needed to clean and prepare data, perform statistical analysis, develop hypotheses, advise on data structures, and draw conclusions from data. Analysts provide context and expertise to interpret data and help organizations make informed decisions.
Technology makes it easier for non-analysts to work with data, but there is a learning curve to effectively use these tools. Individuals need to understand data visualization best practices, as well as how to organize and present data in a meaningful way. Companies may provide training to help employees develop these skills, but they are limited in their ability to perform more complex data analysis tasks.
Data analysis is a multi-step process that goes beyond just creating visualizations. Analysts need to define business problems, determine the data needed to solve those problems, gather and clean the data, perform analysis, and present their findings in a clear and concise manner. Visualization tools and software can be helpful in presenting the results of the analysis, but they cannot replace the skills and expertise of a skilled analyst.
Healthcare organizations need to invest in analysts whose sole job is to analyze data and come with valuable findings that impacts operations or patient care. Analysts must do their part as well. Now more than every Analysts must embrace change and find the tools to fight back and recapture their seat at the table in healthcare organizations. If your organization has an analyst or you are an analyst:
1. Know Your Business Before You Change Your Business: Analysts need background knowledge of healthcare and operational knowledge. A good analyst understands their business so they can layer context onto what they are seeing from the data.
2. Focus on Specialized Areas: Instead of trying to be a generalist, healthcare data analysts can focus on specific areas of the industry such as infection control and hospital epidemiology; orthopedic surgical quality, or financial analysis for quality improvement initiatives in an acute care setting. Specialization will help analysts become experts in a specific domain and differentiate themselves from others.
3. Upskill in New Technologies: Use Tableaus, Qlik, PowerBi, AI, machine learning, and other tools to help you do your job. Organizations are building dashboards for front line workers, but dashboards greatest value comes when in the hands of an analyst. Use these tools to quickly review information that is available. Healthcare data analysts need to keep up with the latest tools and technologies that are being used in the industry. Learn new programming languages, data visualization tools, and statistical analysis techniques.
4. Excel at PowerPoint: Healthcare data analysts need strong communication skills to effectively communicate findings to non-technical stakeholders such as clinicians, administrators, and policymakers. I often use interactive dashboards for my analysis, but when I present to healthcare leadership, I utilize presentation software like PowerPoint. Learn ways you can effectively convey your message in these mediums. A dashboard or spreadsheet may be where you live, but your value is most relevant when it comes to your ability to convey the knowledge you received from your analysis.
5. Build relationships with stakeholders: Healthcare analysts should build strong relationships with stakeholders in their organization. Working with clinical and operational leaders helps you better understand the needs of the organization and provide insights that are more aligned with the organization's goals. Developing trust with clinicians will further solidify your value in the healthcare ecosystem.
Dashboards and visualization tools have led organizations to assume that anyone can be an analyst. Tools like Tableau can be useful in quickly exploring and presenting data, but skilled analysts are still necessary to perform more complex data analysis tasks, provide context and expertise, and help organizations make informed decisions based on the insights derived from the data. Healthcare organizations should heavily invest in analysts that are focused on analyzing data, instead of just focusing on fulfilling data requests for non-analysts. Data is healthcare’s more expensive asset; analysts can maximize your data’s value.