A spatial informatics platform is a suite of software, hardware and services designed to support digitizing and analyzing geographic data. Although you may use this type of technology to analyze any type of data, it is particularly useful in healthcare, where it can be used to improve operational efficiency, increase efficiencies and reduce costs. Spatial informatics platforms allow organizations to leverage location data and analytics to improve business processes and make better decisions. It gives healthcare providers a better understanding of where their patients are located, giving them the opportunity to provide improved care and increase revenue.
While a spatial informatics platform might seem like a new concept, it is actually a very old concept that has been around for decades. However, it has only recently become a mainstream technology, especially with the increased focus on digital transformation and the increased demand for location data in recent years.
How Spatial Informatics Platforms Benefits Healthcare Organizations
The right spatial informatics platform can help an organization increase operational efficiency and reduce costs, while also improving the health outcomes of patients by leveraging location data to deliver better care. These are some of the key benefits of spatial informatics platforms in healthcare.
- Better understanding of patients’ location – A key reason why healthcare organizations should invest in a spatial informatics platform is to leverage location data to improve understanding of the patient. A spatial informatics platform can help providers identify specific geographies and health conditions of their patients so that they can target their care more effectively and reduce costs.
- Easier access to data and information – Another key benefit of spatial informatics platforms is that they make it easier for providers to access data and information about their patients. It allows them to see a complete picture of their patients’ health and diagnose more quickly.
- Higher revenue from patient engagement – The last key benefit of using a spatial informatics platform is to increase revenue from patient engagement. For example, an orthopedic surgeon can use a spatial informatics platform to identify the location of their patients so that they can provide specific treatment recommendations.
3 Key Benefits of Using a Spatial Informatics Platform in Healthcare
- Improving Operational Efficiency – A spatial informatics platform can be used to improve operational efficiency by identifying specific locations of patients to better target their care. This can help healthcare providers identify inefficiencies in their operations and streamline them.
- Reducing Costs – Another key benefit of using a spatial informatics platform is that it can help reduce costs by leveraging location data to deliver better care to specific locations. This can make it easier for healthcare providers to identify certain types of patients and provide them with specific treatment options.
- Better Health Outcomes for Patients – The final benefit of using a spatial informatics platform is that it can also help improve health outcomes for patients. For example, researchers can use this type of technology to obtain novel insights from millions of cells in patients within a click of a button and provide them with specific treatment recommendations. This can help patients with specific health conditions to receive better care and reduce their risk of complications.
3 Things Every Healthcare Organization Should Do with a Spatial Informatics Platform
- Get data on board – It is crucial to get data on board before you start using a spatial informatics platform. This can be done by auditing your data to identify areas where you could improve. You can also identify specific data needs of your organization, such as specific health data about your patients. Once you’ve identified areas that need improvement, you can use a spatial informatics platform to fill the data gap.
- Set clear goals – If your organization is not sure of the benefits that a spatial informatics platform could provide, it would be better to stay away from it. Setting clear goals and identifying the key benefits of a spatial informatics platform would help you decide if you should invest in it or not.
- Make the right investments – The last thing you should do before you start using a spatial informatics platform is to identify the right investments. You need to identify the right software or hardware that could fulfill your data needs. After identifying the right investments, you can start using them immediately.
Final Words
Geospatial technology has come a long way in the past few years, and it is now an important part of the digital transformation in healthcare. Healthcare organizations can use these types of platforms to gain a better understanding of their patients’ health, while also increasing revenue by providing better treatment recommendations to specific locations.
Now is the ideal time to invest in a spatial informatics platform. Apart from the benefits that would come from using it, healthcare organizations don’t have to worry about the disruption caused by the GDPR. These types of platforms are here to stay and will only become more important as the demand for location data increases.