Data governance in health care

Q. We are building our data governance and data management program and want to glean insights from other health systems on their goals, the model they use and lessons learned.

A. I would recommend starting small. We've been attempting an approach to conquer all and it's been slow going. So now we’ve decided to start with an analytics community. This group of cross functional analysts (that we call stewards) meets on a regular basis. We discuss data challenges and ideas and work together to develop guidelines and standards that we can all use. This is taken back to their respective areas and implemented.

A. From a communications standpoint, it’s a good idea to have a data management/governance intranet web page where you can post news and updates about new data sources and any new output or input channels. Another best practice would be to do a periodic newsletter. This helps to create a buzz around the program and also ensures that leadership and staff are engaged. I would recommend starting with a small but impactful project to emphasize the value of the program.

A. In terms of return on investment, some important questions to ask about a data governance program include:

• How would it impact our revenue?
• How would it reduce (or increase) costs? (It might be expensive in the short term but have a long-term payoff.)
• How would it help us manage or minimize risk?