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Impact of Big Data on Patient-Related Outcomes & The Healthcare System

Badaki Peter Ilesanmi

Walden University

NURS 0000 Section 01, Title of Course

April
30th, 2022,
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The influence of Big Data in promoting quality patient care and efficient

healthcare delivery via cutting-edge technologies is of paramount interest to both

clinicians and researchers in recent time. Thus, deriving value from Big Data requires

adopting analytics technologies and techniques to blend, analyze and manipulate

available data to enhance quality, safe and efficient care delivery. (Mehta, Pandit &

Shukla, 2019; Raghupathi, W & Raghupathi, V, 2014; Brossard, Minvielle & Sicotte,

2022, p.2).

Not so much have been realized with the evolution of Big Data and

informatics in terms of improved patient care and efficient healthcare delivery.

Though cutting-edge technologies such as clinical decision support systems are

integrated to facilitate the health benefits associated with Big Data.

Utilizing computer to analyze and implement data that are stored in electronic

health record systems (EHRs) and other related clinical decision support systems to

improve evidence-based practice have some positives and negatives tendencies.

Hence, the purpose of this paper is to describe the pervasive impact of Big

Data on patient-related outcomes and the healthcare system as underscore by the

development in technology.
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Evidence-Based Practice in Informatics

Graves and Corcoran adopted the Data, Information and Knowledge (DIK)

framework to illustrate data, information, and knowledge-oriented applications. However, the

inclusion of “wisdom” to the DIK model suggest a hierarchical format and the need to

address the inadequacies of the DIK model. Hence, the DIKW Model illustrates detail

relationships and interactions between the concepts of DIKW (Ronquillo et al., 2016).

In addition, the Nelson D-W Model describes data as raw fact; information as raw

fact processed to produce meaning; knowledge as set of interrelated pieces of information

and wisdom as the ability to apply knowledge/make appropriate decision to solve human

health needs. (Evidence-based practice)

Consequently, the DIKW framework clearly describes the scope of practice for

nursing informatics as consisting of Nurses and Computerized Clinical Information Systems

such as electronic health records (EHR) that interface in clinical decision making to achieve

improved health outcomes. Thus, the combination of the DIKW Model, concepts and

evidenced-based practice serves as a valuable pathway to support the nurse informatics in

improving healthcare outcome.

Evolving Technology and Informatics

The era of Big Data is greeted with the emergence of information technology systems

that could support decision making and improve outcomes in nursing practice. Therefore,

evidence-based practice in clinical decision support has been made possible through Big

Data, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science.
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For example, synthesizing data stored in electronic health records can create a pool of

digitized clinical data useful for clinical decision making when deciding the best treatment

options for patients displaying genetic disorder. Sutton, et al., (2020) assert that decision

support systems are being developed to leverage on data to provide solutions that are

unobtainable and uninterpretable by human. (p.1). This implies that the nurse informaticist

can utilize decision support systems such as the Artificial Intelligence models to derive far

reaching benefits from Big Data to improve patients’ outcomes and the nursing practice.

In addition, through data analysis, performance measurement, systemic enhancement,

and preventive actions or interventions the various AI systems have leverage on big data to

facilitate efficient patient satisfaction; effective resource allocation, cost reduction and patient

safety; respect for patient centered care/needs; equal access to quality care, and the

standardization of healthcare delivery.

Clinical Decision Support systems (CDSs)

CDSs are useful tools for facilitating evidence-based practices and quality

improvements in healthcare organizations. For instance, evidence shows that, CPOE

systems can be used to optimize drug-drug interactions checking practices and allows

for expanding drug safety checking practices without adding more staff pharmacists.

(Helmons, Suijkerbuijk, Nannan Panday, & Kosterink, 2015; Sutton, et al., 2020)

Indeed, proper utilization of CDSs to manipulate clinical data will produce

quality patient outcomes.

However, CDS solutions are to be recommended based on their capacity to

support users in achieving quality care. For example, tools constructed within the

EHR can trigger alerts and encourage the health care team to do the right thing at the

right time with correct interventions within the clinical workflow. (McBride, S., &
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Tietze, M. 2019, Chap. 19). CDS systems are to be designed to support users in

ensuring patient outcomes are achieved without stress.

Therefore, the recommended CDS solutions for this paper include

Computerized alerts and reminders, Computerized guidelines, Diagnostics support:

imaging and Personal Health Record (PHR).

Furthermore, achieving safe patient care through CDS requires proper

compliance monitoring. Monitoring compliance in CDS, involves enforcing relevant

policies, procedures, and standards of conduct, setting up event monitors and

feedback systems to assess and prevent possible errors that will improve patient safety

and support efficient operation of CPOE in CDS.

Finally, it is inevitable for physicians using CDS systems to avoid being

exposed to alert fatigue and alert override. Continuous override of alerts in CDS is

underscore by the challenge of trying to achieve both benefits and risks of treatment at

the same time and physicians’ frequent exposure to inappropriate alerts during

workflow.

Therefore, underlying conditions that necessitate override in CDS are largely

related to the difficulty of keeping complete drug allergy lists, lack of suitable

replacement for therapy, and display of false patient information.

In conclusion, the evolution of Big Data and evidence-based practice in

informatics is aimed at improving patient care and efficient healthcare delivery.

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References

Brossard, P. Y., Minvielle, E., & Sicotte, C. (2022). The path from big data analytics

capabilities to value in hospitals: a scoping review. BMC health services

research, 22(1), 134. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07332-0

McBride, S., & Tietze, M. (2019). Nursing informatics for the advanced practice

nurse: Patient safety, quality, outcomes, and interprofessionalism (2nd ed.).

New York, NY: Springer Publishing Chapter 19, “Clinical Decisions Support

Systems” (pp. 455–486).

Ronquillo, C., Currie, L. M., & Rodney, P. (2016). The Evolution of Data-

Information-Knowledge-Wisdom in Nursing Informatics. ANS. Advances in

nursing science, 39(1), E1–E18.

https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000107

Sutton, R. T., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D. C., Sadowski, D. C., Fedorak, R. N., &

Kroeker, K. I. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems:

benefits, risks, and strategies for success. NPJ digital medicine, 3, 17.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0221-y