In a recent webinar, Caleb King, Director of Customer Engagement at AS Software, and Dr. Michael Ruma, President of Perinatal Associates of New Mexico, shared their experiences and strategies for leveraging data to enhance healthcare practices. The discussion highlighted the journey from reactive to proactive data usage, emphasizing the significant impact on patient outcomes, staff efficiency, and overall business growth.

Setting the Stage: The Importance of Data in Healthcare

Caleb King opened the session by emphasizing the critical role of data in achieving healthcare objectives. He highlighted that, whether the goal is to streamline operations, improve patient outcomes, or drive business growth, the foundation lies in benchmarking current performance and continuously measuring progress. By understanding where you stand today, you can make informed decisions and track the impact of changes over time. Caleb then introduced Dr. Ruma, who has been integrating data analytics into his maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) practice since 2008, transforming it into a more efficient and patient-focused operation.

Dr. Ruma’s Journey with Data Integration

Dr. Ruma shared his journey of joining Perinatal Associates of New Mexico when it was a smaller practice with three offices and 30 staff members. Through data-driven decisions and process improvements, the practice has grown significantly, now boasting five MFM physicians and over 130 team members, including 17 advanced practice nurses, four genetic counselors, and 36 sonographers.

Key to this growth has been the strategic use of business data alongside medical data. By understanding patient demographics, referral patterns, and operational efficiencies, Dr. Ruma’s practice has been able to make informed decisions that drive growth and improve patient care.

Overcoming Barriers to Proactive Data Use

One of the challenges Dr. Ruma highlighted is the lack of business training for healthcare professionals. He emphasized the need to move beyond traditional medical training to understand financials, data analysis, and operational efficiencies.

Dr. Ruma shared how Perinatal Associates initially struggled with time-consuming processes, using unstandardized data, like manually typing ultrasound reports. Partnering with AS Software in 2013 helped automate these processes, resulting in an 86% reduction in report creation time, saving their clinicians over 23 hours a week. This time-savings allowed the practice to see more patients and improve overall efficiency.

Implementing Standardized Protocols

Dr. Ruma also discussed the implementation of standardized ultrasound protocols. By using electronic checklists on ultrasound machines, the practice was able to reduce the time spent on each exam by 9 to 10 minutes. This not only improved operational efficiency but also enhanced the quality of patient care by allowing more time for complex cases.

Read more on this published research: Ruma MS, Bradley H, Holstrom A, Rigdon J, Herring A. Obstetric Ultrasound Efficiency and Accuracy Using a Protocol-Based Examination. J Ultrasound Med. 2016;35(3):565-569. doi:10.7863/ultra.15.03075

The Role of Business Intelligence Tools

A significant part of the webinar focused on the use of Microsoft Power BI, a business intelligence tool that aggregates data from various sources into a visual, real-time dashboard. This tool has been instrumental in helping Perinatal Associates monitor key performance metrics, track patient volumes, and make data-driven decisions.

Dr. Ruma’s top three reports:

1. Total Patient Visits – overview of the total number of patients seen, helping to gauge overall practice growth and capacity.
2. Visits by Location – aids in understanding market penetration and identifying areas with growth potential.
3. Service Line Performance – evaluates service lines overtime to understand how to optimize service delivery and expand offerings.

Dr. Ruma illustrated how Power BI enabled his practice to identify opportunities for new services and locations, ultimately leading to growing patient visits by over 30% in 10 years. For instance, real-time data analysis supported the decision to open a new office in Las Cruces and expand mental health services for pregnant patients.

Proactive Data Usage: A Path to Continuous Improvement

The journey from reactive to proactive data use has allowed Perinatal Associates of New Mexico to anticipate changes, improve patient care, and enhance operational efficiencies. Dr. Ruma emphasized the importance of continuous learning and adapting, using data not just to react to issues but to proactively identify opportunities for improvement.

Closing Thoughts: Where to Begin and How to Get Help

Caleb King concluded the webinar by encouraging healthcare professionals to start by identifying specific business problems and leveraging data to address them. He stressed the importance of partnerships with EMR providers, software vendors, like AS Software, and internal staff to achieve success. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making, healthcare practices can enhance their efficiency, patient care, and overall success.

Embrace the Power of Data

The insights shared by Caleb King and Dr. Ruma demonstrate the transformative power of data in healthcare. By moving from reactive to proactive data use, healthcare practices can achieve significant improvements in patient outcomes, staff efficiency, and business growth.

To learn more about how to embrace data analytics, standardize processes, and leverage technology to unlock the full potential of your practice, watch the webinar on-demand.

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