Improving Healthcare Outcomes Through Data & Policy

In 2024, Principal Consultant and Founder Dr. Darryl Roberts made the rounds of public policy trade magazines and podcasts discussing the use of analytics to identify and overcome geographic and social health disparities.

He published a commentary in Federal News Network - Helping Feds Meet Their Mission on the importance of using data analytics and informatics to determine areas in need of healthcare improvement. 

In the article, he reported the results of a recent Kaiser Family Foundation paper showing that nonelderly Hispanic adults are more than twice as likely than black or white adults to not have a primary physician or healthcare provider (36%, 17%, and 17% respectively) and more likely to have limited access to health care (21%, 11%, and 14%, respectively). Further, he reported that as of 2020, the American Heart Association identified poverty as the leading heart-related health disparity, with low income correlating with more hospitalizations, medical visits and other clinical problems. 

He concluded that the solutions to these disparities would reside in excellent data analysis to understand where the underserved communities reside, how the healthcare community can support them, what are the problems that rise to the top of the list of priorities, and whether federal policy is needed to meet those priorities.

See the full article at https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2024/09/data-analytics-and-informatics-are-key-to-improving-health-outcomes-for-cms/

Anuja Vaidya, Senior Editor of Xtelligent Healthcare Strategies, interviewed Dr. Roberts to discuss the numerous factors influencing telehealth policy, the challenges of creating comprehensive policies that balance telehealth access with in-person care, and telehealth legislation to keep track of in 2025. An interesting point in the interview was his discussion of the rural telehealth ghettos that are beginning to form as a result of poor policy started during the Covid lockdowns. 

Hear the full interview at https://www.techtarget.com/virtualhealthcare/podcast/Exploring-key-telehealth-policy-considerations 

Mary Ann Brown interviewed Dr. Roberts for her podcast Keeping IT Brief, a part of the Forum Insights network. In this interview, he discussed the how to employ data and analytics to enhance care delivery and quality of care. By translating data insights into public use files, technical documents, clearance processes, and publications, researchers can inform public health policy and make strides toward reducing urban and rural health disparities.

See the full interview at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1447720/episodes/15388082