Walgreens turns to big data analytics to improve care
Big data analytics is coming to Walgreens' health clinics. The company is implementing a patient assessment tool and technology platform to bolster improvements in care, quality and risk score accuracy programs in more than 400 healthcare clinics at select locations, according to an announcement.
The individualized predictive analytics tool will bring insights of more than 8.3 million medical events to the company's health clinic programs. Such insights will allow clinicians to efficiently resolve gaps in quality care, patient assessment, documentation and risk score accuracy for models including Medicare Advantage, commercial health insurance exchanges and state-managed Medicaid, according to Walgreens.
The platform also supports quality outcomes programs including HEDIS, CMS Stars, state Medicaid programs and the commercial accreditation requirements of the National Committee for Quality Assurance and URAC.
The combination of the analytics platform and its laboratory and immunization resources “provides a superior solution to health plans, ACOs and integrated care delivery organizations seeking to achieve goals in improving quality outcomes, and risk score accuracy,” according to the press release.
"These types of innovative solutions enable our nurse practitioners and physician assistants to play an increasingly important role as part of a patient’s care team,” said Heather Helle, divisional vice president, Healthcare Clinic at Walgreens, in a statement.