CMS Creates Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics
Niall Brennan is CMS’ first chief data officer to improve the agency’s analytics to improve quality care at a lower cost.
- Big data has become more than just a buzzword across the business landscape. It is a major strategy that organizations in every sector including healthcare are deploying. Now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a new big data approach with the formation of the Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics (OEDA).
The OEDA will he headed by Niall Brennan, who will take the title of Chief Data Officer. Brennan had previously served as director of CMS’ Offices of Enterprise Management, which was in charge of efforts related to data, information technology and business operations. He was also instrumental in directing research and analysis and developing the agency’s privacy and confidentiality policies.
In the new role, Brennan will be tasked with overseeing improvements in data collection and dissemination as the agency strives to be more transparent. The department will help CMS harness its vast data resources to guide decision-making and developing framework promoting the right external access to and use of data to drive higher quality care at a lower cost.
“It’s clear how much data transparency will help the country improve outcomes, control costs and aid consumer decision making,” CMS Principal Deputy Administrator Andy Slavitt said in the press release. “This appointment signals to the industry that there is no turning back from the health care data agenda. Niall Brennan will help make sure CMS leads the way.”
Slavitt added that the commitment to transparency is matched by the commitment to keeping personal information safeguarded. It is not possible to advance health outcomes without ensuring policies and practices around data privacy are leading the way.
Currently, CMS collects a wealth of data that is used in the decision making process for the nation’s healthcare systems. This include administering the Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP programs, stewardship of the EHR Incentive program, more expansive quality measurement programs and establishment of the Health Insurance Marketplace.
The new post and department builds on the steps that CMS has taken in recent years to better harned data both internally and externally. The organization analyzes claim data in real time and applies predictive analytics to proactively identify fraud and abuse by tracking key metrics like hospital readmission.
This information has an impact on quality and cost of care. Accountable Care Organizations and State Medicaid agencies receive monthly near real-time feeds of Medicare data to support care coordination. CMS launched the Virtual Research Data Center to facilitate lower cost access to CMS data for researchers and federal grantees. There has also been a release of numerous public use datasets which includes hospital charges and physician utilization in 2013 and 2014.
