One common mistake in healthcare is making data analytics the deliverable. But data often informs the true deliverables: human action, behavioral change and system thinking, Brandon Danz, PhD, vice president of population health at York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health, told Becker’s.
“Too often, organizations think spreadsheets are progress. They’re not. They’re tools,” he said.
This disconnect can be especially poignant when looking at initiatives or staff that are underperforming.
“A physician sits down, sees a spreadsheet showing they’re in the bottom 20%, and that’s the end of the meeting,” Dr. Danz said. “Data analytics is necessary — but it’s not the deliverable. The deliverable is a solution.”
Wellspan’s population health team uses a simple metric to ensure they are delivering the best results: difficult for us, easy for them, or DUET. This approach is fundamentally process science and disciplined operational design.
“Before meeting with a practice that’s underperforming, we conduct a root cause analysis,” he said. “We determine whether the issue is addressable and develop hypotheses. When we meet, the conversation focuses on qualitative insights the data didn’t capture and on actionable solutions. Physicians are far more receptive when they feel supported rather than judged.”
This mindset also applies to continuous improvement.
“Some systems push incremental improvement every year for everyone,” Dr. Danz said. “That’s exhausting and demoralizing. Instead, we focus on the bottom performers. The Pareto principle applies: 20% of performers often drive 80% of the opportunity. By concentrating efforts there, systemwide averages rise while reducing burden on high performers.”
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