When discussing software, something that needs to be understood is:
Software in itself is not a solution.
Software is only as good as the quality of the data inside of it. It is the responsibility of the people behind the software to manage the integrity of the data entering the system. In this discussion, the software we are referring to is your instrument tracking system.
These days it seems that everyone is working towards a more data driven management style. As they should be, leaders in healthcare are trusting in the numbers as they prepare to make mission critical decisions. They are confident in their choices because they are confident in their people and they understand the power of monitoring data inputs. But the data they are relying on is often riddled with gaps and inaccuracies that can lead to poor decision making.
When the Ascendco data science team cleanses data to perform an analysis, at times we will throw away 30 – 90% of the information. At one facility we worked with, a trend was identified when a technician continued to assemble complex trays in under one minute. While this provides a great opportunity for coaching staff on data integrity, it’s not so great for understanding the average assembly time for large trays. The elimination of erroneous information, generally caused by people not using the system correctly, must happen to form an accurate data story. This type of monitoring provides the opportunity to pinpoint problems in your workflow or within your staff, make corrections, and increase the quality of data entering your system.
Maximize the potential of your software by not treating it like a silver bullet. Manage your system, be aware of how it is being used, and maintain a high standard of data integrity by coaching your department.
For more information about this topic, click the links below to read more about it!
Data integrity
Data integrity is the foundation for which operations are performed and decisions are made.
Scanning Compliance
Monitoring scanning compliance and the accuracy of information entered into your system will set you and your team up for success!
Clean Data
Having a tracking system doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to achieve data accuracy. Know what your data inputs are and how to monitor them!
