Making Data Meaningful for Improvement & Sustainability

Jeff Campbell, BS, Executive Director, Kentucky Rural Health Information Technology Network

Jason Blythe, Chief Technology Officer, Kentucky Rural Health Information Technology Network

Phyllis Platt, Ph.D., MSW, Kentucky Rural Health Information Technology Network

Description
This session will provide a hands-on example of how network members collaborated to address critical issues of data storage and data analytics in a rural community. The model presented can be implemented by other networks to address health information technology challenges faced in rural communities.

Rural health care providers are faced with unique challenges for meeting the increasing demands to capture, store and utilize data for improving health outcomes. This session is designed to give a first hand perspective of challenges and solutions faced in one rural community. Collaboration and trust among network partners proved to be an essential element to the success of this project. Participants will receive a take-home strategy that can be replicated. The resource shared can be utilized by networks of many sizes representing multiple types of organizations. Recognizing the value of useful data for organizations and the sustainability of networks, the presenters will provide opportunities for critical discussion among participants in this session.

Materials
Presentation (pptx)

Presenters

Jeff Campbell holds a BS degree from the University of Tennessee and is in progress toward an MBA. He has 15 years experience in Health IT and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. He has worked on various IT projects that included medical management, electronic medical records implementation and on-going management, delivery of HL7 data, unified messaging platforms, VoIP, and remote location convergence. Before working in Health IT, Jeff was a communications officer with the United State Space Command and Air Force Space Command, where he was administrator on classified software and managed project teams with up to 30 members.

Jason Blythe has a BS in Biology from the University of Michigan and a Masters degree in Bioinformatics from Eastern Michigan University. He has more than 10 years experience working in various clinical/research settings. Jason’s primary interest is in developing HIT systems to be used for monitoring and informing providers and patients about the quality of care. He has worked with multi-practice organizations to design data analytics processes based on the data being collected in the clinical setting resulting in summarizing and visualization of data from many different clinical sources. Jason believes that making data useful for decision-making is key for improving health care for patients and for health systems.

Dr. Phyllis Platt serves as the evaluator the KRHIT providing feedback on network development processes and outcomes for program improvement. Phyllis has served on the faculty at the University of Kentucky and most recently Spalding University’s School of Social Work. She has more than 10 years of program evaluation/ research experience working with non-profit organizations of all sizes. Since 2010 she has been involved in community health grant projects serving communities in southeastern Kentucky.