The importance of lab data
I spend a day with the leadership team at Roche and we had a discussion on the importance of lab data. One of the themes was how should we utilize and connect the lab data with the c-suite. The article below is from Roche.
It's the rare health system C-suite that has a large enough table for everyone who wants a seat. Laboratories are often stretched thin and perceived to be a cost center—or at best a commodity service—rather than a strategic asset that must have its point of view incorporated into an organization's overall vision.
“Anytime we talk about lab, it's more of an afterthought," says David Chou, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City. “We think about it, but it's not as relevant as pharmacy or other specialty departments."
But why? One reason is that lab leaders often don't know how to make a clear and irrefutable case for the value of their services—and in particular the value of their data— in the era of data-driven healthcare. Chou says that even though his CIO/CDO role makes him the organization's point person on the value of data, he doesn't understand all the ways that he could potentially use lab data. He's willing to advocate for it as a CIO who can make his case to the rest of the C-suite, as long as he understands it himself.
“Have you created the story theme of why the lab is critical?" he asks.
Article highlights:
C-suites often ignore the lab as a strategic asset
Lab data is vital to the data-driven healthcare organization
Lab leaders must explain how their data
