Digitalization of patients’ medical records continues to have a profound impact within modern health care. Harnessing this information and developing a data strategy is an asset to any program in the current competitive environment. Most industries, aviation and retail in particular, have organization-wide data strategy initiatives. Application of these concepts to health care has lagged considerably. The current data strategy efforts in health care have been challenging, especially within the realm of enhanced recovery programs (ERPs). Cresswell and colleagues1 commented that “without a data science strategy, health care organizations can’t draw on increasing volumes of data and medical knowledge in an organized, strategic way; and individual clinicians can’t use that knowledge to improve safety, quality and efficiency of the care they provide.”
Many confuse data management with data strategy. Data management refers to day-to-day operations, optimization of databases and workflow. Data strategy is a more contemporary and comprehensive approach....