Advancing Healthcare Management and Patient Outcomes through Business Analytics: A Strategic Approach

Abstract

Business analytics has started to find its way into the healthcare industry. It has proven to transform the sector by effectively using data in decision-making, enhancing patient experience, and increasing efficiency. This paper explores the use of analytics tools in clinical and administrative areas of focus, including hospital readmission rates, emergency department wait times, and cost savings. A qualitative survey of healthcare professionals complemented a quantitative approach to performance measurement to evaluate the impact of predictive, descriptive, and prescriptive analytics. The results show that readmission rates are down by 38.9%, and the average wait time in emergency departments is down by 25.6%. Logistics, workforce, and inventory showed a cost reduction, proving that adopting analytics was cost-effective. However, some concerns included workforce resistance, data integration issues, and data privacy and fairness issues. In order to overcome the challenges highlighted in the study, the following solutions are suggested: workforce training, improvement of IT facilities, and data governance policies. These measures will help to avoid complications in the adoption and achieve fair utilization of analytics tools. The paper establishes that analytics promises to revolutionize healthcare management, especially when deployed in convergence with other disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. Subsequent studies must examine the ramifications of analytics on healthcare systems in the international sphere and their role in meeting emerging concerns such as population aging and health emergencies. Consequently, this research highlights business analytics as the key tool that furthers patient care objectives and business sustainability in the hospital.