Analytics Magazine Analytics Magazine, January/February 2014 | Page 52

ANALY TIC S & H E A LT H CA R E Population health management and medication adherence BY RAJIB GHOSH I In my last article I highlighted opportunities for health analytics entrepreneurs in the field of radiology services and revenue cycle management. This article focuses on two more opportunities, which are also part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) reportable quality measures for provider organizations: managing population health and medication adherence. Some healthcare organizations have already achieved early success using analytics, but many have yet to adopt it. During the next three to five years, I predict we will see increased adoption of analytics in these two areas, driven by the need of compliance and the search for profitability. 52 | A N A LY T I C S - M A G A Z I N E . O R G HEALTHCARE’S MICROECONOMICS PROBLEM The Federal Health Insurance Exchange (Healthcare.gov) is at the center of an ongoing controversy – website glitches, broken promises, customer dissatisfaction and general skepticism about the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While we can argue on both sides, the opening of the marketplace to allow consumers to buy their own insurance after comparing plans is surely a paradigm shift in the healthcare industry. However, the bigger question is, what’s next? According to White House officials, the overarching goal of the ACA is to enroll more than 10 percent of the country’s population who are currently uninsured W W W. I N F O R M S . O R G