Leveraging clinical big data to improve a faltering labor force

Although its potential has not yet been fully realized, clinical big data has the ability to completely change healthcare organizations.

According to the World Economic Forum, hospitals generate 50 petabytes of siloed data annually, of which 97% is unusable. By not utilizing clinician data analysis to gain a greater understanding of care patterns and utilization, healthcare is missing out on important chances to inform and support decision-making. 

It is more important than ever to use clinician data as a strategic foundation for success. A serious personnel issue in the healthcare industry is being exacerbated by the pandemic. Between 2021 and 2022, about 145,000 healthcare professionals in the United States—including 71,309 physicians—left the workforce. These clinicians—physicians, assistants to physicians, social workers, and physical therapists—are essential to the operation of healthcare facilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2030, there will be a demand for about 275,000 more nurses.

Although corporations have started to redirect their efforts into recruiting clinicians in response, there is still a shortage of applicants, and ensuring prompt and effective onboarding and deployment continues to be difficult. Traditional, industry-standard methods are insufficient today. There are only so many medical schools from which to recruit physicians, and there are only so many physicians prepared to work in the current climate.

Healthcare executives are stepping up their efforts to retain staff and expand the skills of the workers inside their buildings. These same leaders, who are constantly under pressure to succeed financially, discover that every day that a physician opening is delayed in onboarding might result in lost revenue potential of about $6,000. Big data on clinicians is essential for maximizing the current workforce and motivating physicians to provide care that is more intelligent and effective.