Free Essay - Use of Business Intelligence in Healthcare

Business intelligence (BI) refers to the technologies and processes that are used in the conversion of raw data into meaningful information that a business can use to drive its profits by improving tactical, operational, as well as strategic decisions. The origin of BI can be traced to the invention of computers. However, it is only after computers became widespread that the concept grew in relevance. Some elements of BI can be traced to as far as the late 19th century when Frederick Taylor formalized a scientific management system that sought to increase industrial efficiency (Limp, 2019). The development of electronic computers after World War II led to the birth of BI as it is known today. The following decades were characterized by unprecedented growth in the field of BI as the use of computers exploded. Today, BI is considered a necessity for both medium and large businesses to remain competitive. Moreover, BI is used in virtually all industries in the global economy (Russ, Kuilboer, & Ashrafi, 2016). This paper seeks to discuss the uses of BI in healthcare and the benefits associated with it.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The application of BI in healthcare was necessitated by the increasing number and complexity of data generated in healthcare organizations. As such, there was a need to use advanced analytics to enhance the decision-making capabilities within organizations (Wang, Kung, & Byrd, 2018). Healthcare organizations also use BI software as predictive and data visualization tools to gain deeper insights into patient care, clinical operations, as well as general administration and management. The use of BI in healthcare has several benefits. First, it helps improve the quality of care given to patients. It also helps in better allocation of expenses. Most importantly, it supports and improves decision-making (Asri, Mousannif, Moatassime, & Noel, 2015).

From its humble beginnings in the 19th century, BI has dramatically grown over the years to become a necessity in the modern business world. The growth has been fuelled by the increased use of computers, as well as the need to use data to make predictions and decisions. Most recently BI has become an integral part of the healthcare industry. Other than helping in making decisions, it improves the quality of care and allocation of expenses.

References

Asri, H., Mousannif, H., Moatassime, H. A., & Noel, T. (2015). Big data in healthcare: Challenges and opportunities. 2015 International Conference on Cloud Technologies and Applications (CloudTech). Retrieved from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7337020/

Limp, P. (2019). Exploring the History of Business Intelligence. Retrieved from total: https://www.toptal.com/project-managers/it/history-of-business-intelligence

Russ, H., Kuilboer, J.-P., & Ashrafi, N. (2016). Business Intelligence in the Music Industry Value Chain: Ensuring Sustainability in a Turbulent Business Environment. Business Intelligence: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, 1557-1571. Retrieved from https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/business-intelligence-in-the-music-industry-value-chain/142689

Wang, Y., Kung, L., & Byrd, T. A. (2018). Big data analytics: Understanding its capabilities and potential benefits for healthcare organizations. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 126, 3-13. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162516000500