Formalizing a Framework for Analytics in Navy Medicine

Mr. Robert Willis

June 5, 2012

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Defining AnalyticsSome Encountered Characteristics:

• “Deep Data-Diving”

• Complex Algorithms

• Involves Extraordinarily Large Quantities of Data

But these characteristics apply to only a small fraction of those who provide analytic support in Navy Medicine.

Defining Analytics

A Proposed Principle for Navy Medicine:

• Emphasizes the tandem roles of managers/decision makers and analysts with a shared interest in “Making Things Better”

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Defining Analytics

Additional Characteristics for Navy Medicine:

• Critical (careful, thorough) Thinking

• Asking the Right Questions

• Problem Decomposition

• Working on Relevant Problems

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Improving Capabilities

Seeking durable, purposeful structure of instruction material and opportunities.

“Foundations Training in the Practice of Analytics”

is meant to provide:• initial familiarization with our data• effectiveness in communication between analysts and managers/decision makers/leadership.• prequel to more advanced courses such as WISDOM

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Workshops

• Last year we introduced workshops. • There was a full day session attended by diverse members

of the IMR community to work on processes for the “Shorebased IMR” metric.

• This year we had a workshop on using the MDR, and area in which Navy Medicine is establishing a presence.

• In both cases, the workshops were selected to advance an area of special interest

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Software Programming

• This area is being developed as standing component. We’re relatively weak in this area, but it is so applicable for:

• Cleansing data• Preparing data• Reformatting data

• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) has been identified as the entry point.

• SQL and SAS components are also envisaged

Purpose is to enhance analytic capabilities, not create professional programmers

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Presentation Skills

• Analysts efforts are directed at influencing decision-making.

• Multi-faceted - Visual representation of data- Oral presentations- Written exposition- “How to tell a story”

- Purpose is to advance improved understanding and as a consequence, reaction.

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Keep Out of Trouble Training

• Information Assurance• Privacy Considerations

• There can be consequences that affect all members of an organization.

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Data Quality Assurance

• Timliness for agile decision-making• Accuracy for improved decision-making modeling

support• Improved audit readiness

• Incorporated this year as a subtrack in Resources

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Process Improvement Studies

• Substantial part of the Analytic Tracks.• Focussed on “Making Things Better”

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Fresh Perspectives

Permeates much of the content.• Reexamine Processes• Reexamine Perspectives• Gently Challenge the Status Quo

eg. Are some measurements which focus on enrolled populations causing insufficient attention of the remainder of the beneficiary population?

One of our biggest challenges is to effectively overcome stagnation of thought through entrenched mindsets.

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Overall Framework

The framework for establishing the “right mix” of content is evolving, but is becoming increasingly structured, and as a consequence, increasingly likely to be durable.

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Credentialing in Analytics

Professional Organizations are typically self-organized to advance some common interests.

“Self-policing” its membership is represented in one way by establishing credentialing procedures.

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Credentialing in Analytics

Analysts are dispersed within the enterprise and come in many flavors. There is not a clear credentialing path or society affiliation.

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0501 Financial Management Analyst 199 0560 Budget Analyst 6 0671 Health Systems Spec 332 0896 Industrial Engineering 10 1515 Operations Research Analyst 8 1530 Statistician (Health) 6 1910 Qual Assur Spec 20 1101 Business Analyst 41

INFORMS Efforts

As a term,“Analytics” has received much attention within INFORMS.

A subsection named Analytics was established last year.

Much debate regarding target membership:• one camp feeling membership should not exclude those with only the most basic skills• another camp desiring more exclusivity

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Credentialing in INFORMS

A credentialing program is currently being designed by interested members within that organization.

The current proposal is for applicants to take a single test.

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Proposed Characteristics for Navy Medicine

• Credentialing is a career long process characterized by the accumulation of sub-credentials.

• Emphasizes progression in breadth and depth.• Incorporates analysts and decision-makers.• Incorporates technical and interaction skills.• Incorporates practice requirements as well as knowledge

requirements.• Represents organized, directed, structured

development of capabilities.

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Self-Organizing

This would be a long-term effort by members of the community who wish to pursue it.

• establish a long-term vision but progress through a series of small steps and demonstrated successes.

• be sincere and endure

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Forums and Fulcrums

• INFORMS – www.informs.org• INFORMS Analytics Certification – • http://informs.org/Build-Your-Career/Certification

• Navy global group list:• “Healthcare Analytics Community”

• Newsletter – “Healthcare Analytics in Navy Medicine”

• Design a Sharepoint site

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