Analytics, just what the doctor ordered

November 20, 2014/0 Comments/in Blog, Business, Hospital and Health Services /by Ash Nelson

Can Analytics and Optimisation be ‘Just what the Doctor ordered’ for struggling Australian Hospitals and Health Services?

In Australia consumers have more access to information than ever before and are demanding increasing accountability from their doctors, nurses health plans and, better health care quality. The Hospital and Health Services (HHS) industry despite struggling under the weight of an ageing population, a shortage in doctors and nurses, increased regulation, accountability, governance and budgetary oversight, are continually required to provide more with less.

The healthcare industry requires smarter, more informed decisions to enable improved efficiency, better service delivery and enhanced patient outcomes.

Research in 2012 by IBM into the Healthcare Industry in the US confirmed mounting evidence of entrenched inefficiencies and sub-optimal clinical outcomes. The report highlighted how building an analytics focus can help these Health organisations harness “big data” to create actionable insights, set their future vision, improve outcomes and reduce time to value.

The authors note that the abundance of data that bombards healthcare professionals both facilitates and complicates the ability of healthcare providers to achieve and influence desirable outcomes. It appears clear that entrenched systemic inefficiencies in the health systems are at least in part attributed to the ineffective gathering, sharing and use of information

The glut of information makes it hard to differentiate data which can be used to generate powerful insights, from clutter. In fact, the dilemma presented by too much data and too little insight – is cited in the research as an increasingly daunting obstacle standing in the way of better service delivery and improved patient outcomes.

The daunting challenges facing the healthcare industry today make for compelling arguments to expand the role of analytics

The study confirmed that analytics can provide the mechanism to sort through this mountain of complexity and data, and help healthcare organizations deliver on efficiency improvements and better patient outcomes. In Australia the introduction of Activity Based Funding (ABF) has promoted the use of data as the essential input informing critical decisions by Managers, Administrators and Clinicians. Not surprisingly HHS are increasingly looking to move from data processing to data analysis and applying insights to financial outcomes. Australian HHS are just starting to recognise how the power of mathematics through analytics and optimisation can be utilised to consume, unlock and apply new insights from information.

Analytics can provide the mechanism to sort through this mountain of complexity and data

Despite the availability of new methods of analytics that can be used to drive clinical and operational improvements, Australian HHS continue to function with a traditional baseline of transaction monitoring using basic reporting tools, spreadsheets and application reporting. As in the US Health system Australian HHS must face-up to the challenge to move from the traditional model to one that incorporates predictive analytics and enables organizations to “see the future,” and create more personalised healthcare and predict patient behavior.

Advanced analytics and optimisation approaches can take full advantage of the ‘Data deluge’ to generate powerful insights which deliver better outcomes

Today, most HHS use some form of descriptive analytics. They are typically using reporting tools and applications descriptively to understand what has happened in the past and to classify and categorize historical data. However, as their analytics expectations mature, HHS are looking more toward predictive analytics techniques, which take an understanding of the past to predict future activities and model scenarios using simulation and forecasting. The report notes that Enterprise analytics, evidence-based medicine and clinical outcome analytics can all be supported by these more advanced capabilities. For example, analytics can enable the compilation of information about trends, patterns, deviations, anomalies and relationships and reveal key insights.

Some Hospital and Health Services are taking a proactive approach

Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) is one example of an Australian HHS organisation leading the way by embracing predictive analytics to improve demand for better service delivery and enhanced patient outcomes. Most recently Biarri Optimisation worked with GCUH to enhance their understanding of expected future demand and to develop insight into opportunities to better allocate resources. Through the application of customised predictive analytics and optimisation GCUH improved their knowledge of forecasted demands for the next Financial Year, allowing improved capacity planning requirements for physical resources and staffing resources equating to better workforce optimisation.

Biarri and GCUH demonstrated the value of quantitative analysis in forecasting patient admissions and QWAUs and used this to provide more efficient capacity and resource planning.

For most organisations today, data visualisation, historic trend analysis and forecasting, and standardized reporting are the analytics elements that provide the most value. However, that is likely to change. The research showed that while data visualisation will always be a critical element, increased emphasis will be placed on simulations and scenario development and analytics that are applied within various business processes.

To learn more about how Biarri can help your HHS organisation benefit from advanced analytics and optimisation go to www.biarri.com or contact

Sam Rowse: Email: sam.rowse@biarri.com, Mobile: +61 458 004 220

Biarri diagnosing Hospital and Health Services

November 18, 2014/0 Comments/in Hospital and Health Services, News /by Ash Nelson

A major part to the national health reform act 2011, was the implementation of national activity based funding (ABF) for Australian Public Hospitals. The model provides incentives to hospitals showing initiative and leadership in transparency in the delivery and funding of Hospital and Health Services across Australia.

The problem that many hospitals are now facing is that they use a limited form of descriptive analytics. Hospitals are typically using tools that aggregate and classify historical data however lack the rigor and skillset to predict future demand, trends or patterns.

The Gold Coast University Hospital approached Biarri to assist in forecasting demand for the next financial year. Being under external and internal pressure with new government rules and regulation around ABF, it was imperative that they could properly determine future demand and act on any issues or opportunities.

To optimise their capacity planning efforts, Biarri has developed a tool that allows GCUH understand their data through the application of customised predictive analytics and optimisation through our cloud based platform – Biarri Workbench.

If you feel as though Biarri could help you, feel free to get in touch

Tom Forbes, Chief Executive officer
E: tom.forbes@biarri.com PH: 0408 703 436
Sam Rowse, Chief Sales Officer
E: sam.rowse@biarri.com ph: 0458 004 220

A new standard in the commercial air cargo market

November 12, 2014/0 Comments/in News /by Ash Nelson

How CLIVE is helping DHL set a new standard in the commercial air cargo market.

Given the complexity inherent in global airfreight booking and allocation systems the notion that Microsoft Excel is widely used as the default decision making support tool is nothing short of surprising. However this was the case when DHL engaged CLIVE with an objective of finding a better way to manage their global network.

The current December issue of Airline Cargo Management titled ‘When DHL met CLIVE’ discusses the leap forward taken by DHL from a reliance on an excel based tool to implementing advanced technology through CLIVE’s customised software-as-a- service (SAAS) application.

CLIVE worked with a unit of DHL Aviation, Air Capacity Sales (ACS), which sells the airline’s spare capacity to forwarders, to help smooth-out the imbalances that typically occur within major cargo airlines. In the article, Paul Ennis, managing director of ACS, had previously used excel and found; “The accuracy of the information was inadequate and there was no real-time visibility on capacity allocation, especially taking into account that DHL Aviation has such a complex network.”

“It’s an amazing leap forward” – Ennis

Ennis goes on to explain that his customers tend to want fixed or agreed allocations on various sectors. “We have lots of demand for pre-allocated capacity. We didn’t have a system before – we used an Excel sheet to manage allocations, so we were interested in CLIVE. It’s an amazing leap forward.”

CLIVE’s software services combine in-depth knowledge of the air cargo industry with an intuitive user experience

Commercial decision making in air cargo is complex and made even more so when confronted with volatile markets, fragmented processes, legacy technology and scattered information. The article quotes CLIVE’s tagline, which is ‘bringing humanised technology to the air cargo domain’. It is the company’s conviction that order and simplicity are the best response to the complexity surrounding commercial decision-making in air cargo.

To support three key management processes; allocation, demand forecasting and operations, CLIVE built separate applications for distinct processes; which allowed DHL to present its clients only with the information they need, keeping the applications clutter free.

The new insights provided by this service allowed DHL to generate additional value from their global air cargo network.

In the article Ennis confirmed that CLIVE gives ACS more accuracy and efficiency across the global network. “Running a network involves multiple sectors which we can put in a single view, allowing us to tell the customer immediately what the options are. If they require capacity we can give an instantaneous answer. The real benefits are for the customer. It’s much more accurate, clean and neat,” Ennis said.

“CLIVE gives ACS more accuracy and efficiency across the global network” – Ennis

One unexpected benefit was the way it affected the team, he adds. “People feel more empowered to engage with customers as we have a clearer view of what is going on. You never get a second chance to fill an aircraft, and now we can talk facts and figures with customers. “We learned things – it forced us to go into more detail, made us look at our business more closely.”

About CLIVE

CLIVE provides humanized technology to the air cargo industry. Commercial decision making in air cargo is complex and CLIVE’s goal is to add order to this complexity by developing easy to use, customised applications from scratch, making practical use of highly advanced mathematics.

CLIVE is part of the Biarri Group of Companies (Biarri Optimisation, Biarri Networks, and Render Networks), that work to provide accessible optimisation to all businesses.

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