FAIR Health Shows How Claims Data Can Be Put to Work
August 16, 2018
FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd hosted a webcast on July 26 to reveal some of the many ways in which FH® Custom Analytics can shed light on healthcare trends and patterns. Hundreds of individuals from throughout the healthcare sector attended.
Entitled “Putting Claims Data to Work: Using Analytics for Actionable Results,” the presentation employed a variety of engaging visualizations to show the flexibility with which FAIR Health data can be configured and presented.
For instance, Ms. Gelburd noted, data licensees often seek information about clinical trends, such as comorbidities associated with different conditions. FAIR Health’s analysis of Lyme disease revealed that soft tissue-related disorders are significantly higher in people who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Armed with this type of information, physicians can better prepare patients, and researchers can better understand the relationships among long-term diseases.
Temporal data can help guide licensees to actionable responses. For example, a FAIR Health analysis showed that September and October—the months when youth football and soccer begin each year—are the months with the highest incidence of pediatric concussions. Having this information, said Ms. Gelburd, might lead to taking additional precautions in youth sports during that period.
Geographic analyses can be of great use to strategic decision makers, said Ms. Gelburd. FAIR Health data reveal geographic disparities in cost and treatment protocols as well as the level of market concentration. The challenge of patient retention and outmigration can be addressed and analyzed.
Ms. Gelburd noted that the dramatic rise of alternative care venues is of interest to many decision makers. A FAIR Health analysis found that while urgent care center use has steadily increased year over year, telehealth use is increasing at a higher rate, with mental health disorders as the most common presenting diagnoses. FH Custom Analytics can also include comparative pricing analyses of care settings. The FAIR Health analysis found that telehealth costs are, on average, $42 lower than standard office visits and $87 lower than urgent care visits for the same types of diagnoses—information that is useful to payors and others.
Policy makers and government officials can make excellent use of FH Custom Analytics. Going back to 2002, FAIR Health data can help evaluate the intended or unintended consequences of statutes and regulations. As an example, Ms. Gelburd displayed a graph that showed how naloxone administration soared in Illinois after a law was enacted immunizing its use, suggesting the law was having its intended effect.
Ms. Gelburd’s presentation made clear the value of FH Custom Analytics for a wide variety of stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem. To view the archived webcast, click here. For more information on FH Custom Analytics, contact us by email at info@fairhealth.org or call us at 855-301-3247, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 6 pm ET.