Data Governance in Provider Data Management: A Conversation with symplr Directory and Orlando Health

What were some data governance challenges you faced?

Daniel: “We have been in progress with symplr Directory for quite some time now. The tool came before the governance, which is probably common. In pockets, we identified that this was something we needed to solve and, like many other organizations, we started with the technology before the organization or the process and we are still working out the governance. It’s not clear necessarily who should take a leading role and who should be a stakeholder. If I had a magic wand, I would go back a couple of years and emphatically remind [our] team that the tool does not solve everything. It can facilitate a governance discussion, but if you don’t have processes and workflows, or if they are flawed, the best that a tool can do is shine a light on those. We have had wins – Marketing relies heavily on symplr Directory. No tool fixes everything, and I wish everyone would’ve been more aware of that going into the process.”

What were some of the strategies you have implemented to overcome the data governance challenges?

Daniel: “We ultimately stood up a physician data governance team, led by the VP of Customer Experience and myself. We pulled together teams that had a vested role or interest in the data and the process (Marketing, Customer Experience, Call Center, Orlando Health Network, which is our ACO, Managed Care, Med Staff, Employed Physicians, Practice Operations Leadership Team) and did educational pieces for those groups. Participation is important – we wanted to make sure these teams understood they have a role and interest in data governance discussions.

Making it decision-driven was another key strategy that was important for our governance. Once everyone realized what symplr Directory was and what its capabilities were, they started to see what their role in the ecosystem would be. The discussions and meetings for governance are now focused on updates and decisions, and that’s pretty much it. That pivot has been incredibly valuable to make sure that members of that governance team know their time is being well spent participating in that structure.”

Considerations for Addressing Data Governance Challenges

Daniel’s experience with data governance challenges at Orlando Health is not uncommon, and we’ve helped multiple clients navigate similar situations.

As mentioned, a system implementation doesn’t directly cause data governance challenges, but it does often pull back the curtain on those challenges and shines a bright light on them. Below are our top four recommendations and tactics to alleviate data governance challenges:

1. Start with understanding the why. Provider Data is important to healthcare systems, and having provider data that is inaccurate compromises the patient experience and could lead to financial repercussions such as denied insurance claims and delayed re-imbursement. Understanding the importance of provider data to a health system ensures a focus on how the application will be using the data. By drawing the big picture and then honing in on the details, you are able to better understand what data is required by the application and why. System implementations can get complex and busy, and it becomes increasingly easy to lose sight of the “why”. The focus is instead on getting the data and uploading it into the application. By understanding the why and keeping it front and center to the implementation, you ensure that you are not just getting the data, but that you are getting the right data.

2. Understand your data inputs and how they relate to each other. Once you have a clear understanding of how and why the data will be used, another key aspect to account for is understanding your incoming data. Data, and sometimes the same data, can come from multiple sources such as marketing, credentialing, and your EHR which can lead to conflicting data values that could negatively impact billing, insurance processing and patient experience. Understanding your ecosystem of data sources and components, as well as determining system hierarchy and override rules is critical to a successful implementation.

3. Identify key stakeholders and engage them early in the process. Assemble a data governance committee and define clear roles and responsibilities. Identify your data owner(s) which are distinct from your application owner(s) but are highly collaborative. While the application owner(s) are responsible for ensuring the system functions as intended, the data owner(s) are responsible for the information contained within the application. Ensuring the right stakeholders are involved, actively engaged and held accountable is key. Additionally, educate stakeholders on data governance, its importance, and the risks of ineffective governance policies and processes.

4. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Embed data governance in your organization’s DNA and make it a topic that is communicated often. Communicate the importance of provider data management to your corporate staff, providers, facility administrators, and other key users within your organization. Educate them on the importance of the application housing the data as well as their role in ensuring the data is correct. Establish clear feedback channels to the application owner and empower your staff to communicate if they have concerns, challenges or updates. Additionally, make sure physicians are informed when there are changes to the system so they can proactively refresh information and get their concerns addressed.

Regardless of the size of your healthcare system, or the types of services you provide, having effective data governance policies and processes is critical to effective Provider Data Management. This is a key success factor to delivering the best experience for your patients and providers.

To learn more about Orlando Health, visit their website.

To learn more about symplr Directory, visit their website.

By Sandy Khoury and Amy Goad