Clemenceau Hospital (CMC) Dubai is an institution that provides exceptionally sophisticated treatments in over 50 specializations. The hospital takes immense pride in providing the bespoke luxury experience to the guests, complemented by the most contemporary medical expertise with internationally qualified team, all attributed to our collaboration with Johns Hopkins International.
Envision the bustling hallways of this cutting-edge hospital, where the paramount objective is to deliver the highest plausible standard of medical care to patients. Attaining this goal has its trials and necessitates a continuous exchange of precise and timely information which proved to be indispensable during the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the course of Global health crisis, CMC Hospital confronted a substantial challenge of ensuring seamless data flow while following the appropriate clinical pathways.
I've been an integral part of the hospital since its inception in 2020. In my capacity as Senior Program Manager (Digital Transformation, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence), I oversee the strategic digital initiatives that have transformed, and will continue to transform, CMC. Among my primary responsibilities is also to ensure that our data strategy meets the hospital's present and future operational requirements.
Data fragmentation and operational inefficiency
Not a single person could have anticipated the radical shift introduced when the hospital was reopened during the pandemic. At that time, our primary priority was to immediately response for COVID patients and make sure to have enough doctors, nurses, medications, and ventilators at-hand to provide critical care.
During that time, the CEO requested me to join the daily huddle sessions which led me to discover that our most significant limitations were data fragmentation and complexity. As each department head presented their reports, I instantly noticed contradicting data, as according to one department, the hospital treated X patients the previous day while another reported Y. This was because each head of department had disparate data sources across multiple systems which provided incoherent information, delaying decisions in such critical times of pandemic.
By consolidating information from disparate systems, it resulted in operational inefficiencies with everyone’s precious time wasted daily on manually preparing reports on Excel. This method resulted in delays in vital decisions that supported patient care and resource allocation.
Similar challenges in functioning as a data-driven facility like everyone else in the healthcare industry which consisted of escalated costs, limited revenue, and considerable elevated patient expectations. Considering the unforeseen circumstances, all individuals within the healthcare sector experienced significant pressure to optimize expenditures, concurrently with a sustained demand for qualified healthcare professionals. It was imperative for us that we adhere to emerging data security standards while simultaneously embracing the latest technological advancements to ensure the highest quality of care for our clients.
Subsequent to our team meeting, the Chief Executive Officer specifically requested that I explore and identify a cost-effective solution that we could implement promptly to ensure alignment among all team members and departments.
An on-prem solution that’s user-friendly and cost-effective.
In our search for an appropriate analytics solution, we carefully considered the technical requirements and availability, project delivery and support, and the evaluation scores from demonstrations, assigning equal importance to each of these factors.
We evaluated Qlik, Tableau, Power BI, and Infor Birst, ultimately deciding on Qlik.
Qlik has consistently maintained its position as a Gartner market leader for 13 consecutive years. Throughout our demonstrations, participants expressed their satisfaction with the Qlik interface. I appreciate that Qlik offers an on-premises solution, along with its robust technical capabilities, safety protocols, and security features. In the context of the United Arab Emirates, it is imperative that we comply with regulatory stipulations pertaining to the localization of patient data within national boundaries. Although various solutions recognized as leaders on Gartner’s list, including Tableau and Power BI, offered compelling features, they failed to satisfy our distinct requirement for a cost effective on-premises solution. Conversely, Qlik has equipped us with the necessary tools to manage our data locally. Additionally, it is important to note that our hospital's data center operates multiple systems, which raises concerns that the adoption of a cloud-based solution may lead to significantly prolonged data refresh intervals, potentially extending to several hours.
The primary advantage of Qlik lies in the advanced maturity of its product. It encompasses all the necessary functionalities required for seamless integration with our diverse databases. Although I had not previously utilized Qlik, I found the underlying concepts to be comparable to those of other Business Intelligence tools and by leveraging the resources available through the Qlik Learning Portal, I was able to enhance my knowledge and ultimately attain a qualification in Data Architecture.
In conclusion, we found Qlik to be exceptionally supportive during our entire process, from the pre-sales phase through to implementation and beyond. Their solution architect provided invaluable assistance whenever I required technical guidance, which was not the case with other vendors unless a formal support agreement was established.
Building a long-term data strategy
It is my firm conviction that the exploration of technological solutions should be driven by the needs and use cases at hand, rather than the technology itself dictating those requirements. This principle served as our foundational guideline throughout the implementation process. Our primary objective was to transform intricate data sets into actionable insights, thereby improving decision-making processes, operational efficiencies, and ultimate patient care outcomes.
We initiated the development of a comprehensive, step-by-step data strategy for the hospital, actively seeking input from department heads to ensure alignment with operational needs. This strategic framework would support us during the implementation phase, especially during the peak of the pandemic, a time marked by limited financial resources and a constrained workforce.
From a technical perspective, our primary challenge involved securing access to our databases and data dictionaries provided by various vendors. As a result, we have successfully established connections for 10 distinct applications that are now integrated and consolidated within Qlik. Subsequently, we established a comprehensive data dictionary in conjunction with a business glossary to precisely define each term as utilized within our hospital context. Prior to this initiative, there existed discrepancies in the interpretation of a patients’ visit between clinical departments and the finance department, among others. By standardizing these definitions, we were able to eliminate previous inconsistencies and enhanced overall clarity and communication within our organization.
During the training and user adoption phase, our fundamental focus was directed towards the executives and department heads, as they possess the most comprehensive understanding of their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). We commenced this initiative with the implementation of the executive dashboard, which provides a strategic overview of hospital operations, including patient volumes and revenue metrics. Subsequently, we engaged with each department to gain insights into their specific needs, allowing us to tailor and develop customized dashboards for each unit.
Through our strategic expansion efforts, we have successfully increased the number of users, who are using Qlik on a daily basis, and who are diligently monitoring up to 200 clearly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across a total of 30 comprehensive dashboards.
Reaping the benefits: accuracy, timeliness, efficiency
Since the implementation of Qlik, we have observed notable enhancements in operational efficiencies throughout the hospital. The reliance on Excel spreadsheets and manual reporting has been entirely replaced by our dashboard, which is now the primary tool for data presentation and analysis. This dashboard has successfully established itself as our singular source of truth. We have effectively fulfilled our CEO's objective of ensuring that all team members are aligned and informed.
Individuals in our organization are expressing appreciation for the considerable time savings, process optimization, and enhanced decision-making facilitated by automated reporting. A member of our finance department, who previously took three to four hours to generate reports from Excel, is now able to reallocate that time and cognitive resources toward developing complex alternative analyses.
Furthermore, our leadership team has become increasingly self-sufficient in generating reports, enabling them to access and analyze data from diverse perspectives through their own dashboards. Concurrently, our medical records department has streamlined operations by eliminating the need to communicate with multiple vendors for data collection required by our health regulator, as this information is now automatically integrated into Qlik, which facilitates the generation of reports seamlessly.
We have observed significant returns on investment with Qlik; however, quantifying this metric presents challenges for our organization. We primarily recognize Qlik's financial influence through cost savings rather than direct revenue generation. The operational efficiencies and strategic insights provided by Qlik not only enabled our administrative staff to save considerable time but also preventing our hospitals’ leadership from experiencing information overload.
The availability of accurate and timely information has significantly enhanced our decision-making capabilities. The implementation of real-time dashboards facilitates proactive decision-making, reduces the likelihood of errors, and optimizes the allocation of resources. For instance, our pharmacy department meticulously monitors medication inventory levels across all hospital floors, utilizing this data to ensure the efficient dispensing and procurement of medications.
Advice for starting your data transformation journey.
For individuals seeking to embark on their data transformation journey, I would like to present two recommendations.
First, it is recommended to initiate the process on a modest scale and subsequently expand on an incremental basis, concentrate on attainable objectives to secure the support of stakeholders. For that commence with a single use case and a cohort of five users while collaborating with the relevant business units to design their dashboard and validate the accuracy of the information presented. Further, follow these progressive steps to engage with the next business unit to maintain cohesion and, by adopting a strategic mindset and prioritizing small, achievable successes, will facilitate the long-term adoption of these technological advances within your organization.
Second, it is essential to prioritize strategic alignment and user engagement to optimize return on investment. A comprehensive understanding of both the short-term and long-term objectives that drive your team is crucial, including their aspirations and concerns. Should team members harbor fears regarding potential job displacement due to technology, it is likely they will be resistant to adopting new solutions. Therefore, it is imperative to provide reassurance and support to foster a conducive environment for the successful implementation of your data initiative.
We have made considerable advances so far; nonetheless, additional efforts remain to be undertaken. Qlik has not only transformed the data landscape at Clemenceau Hospitals, but it has also established a foundation for continuous innovation for future Artificial Intelligence based solutions.