PowerBI and Quality Measures Reporting: Asked and Answered

Microsoft’s PowerBI is quickly becoming a solution of choice for healthcare organizations to gain better insights into their data and a cost-effective alternative to 3^rd party reporting platforms. Here, we’ll cover commonly asked questions about the capabilities of PowerBI and its role with reporting on quality measures – including questions asked during a recent MUSE (MEDITECH Users Software Exchange) webcast:

What types of healthcare questions can I answer with PowerBI?

PowerBI is well suited for incorporating data into dashboards from disparate data sources. This allows for enterprise-wide functionality and analysis on virtually any question. Examples:

• Compare data from your EHR to your financials or materials system
• See which payers have the highest denial rate
• Consolidate quality measures reporting across separate EMR systems or facilities
• Utilize data for predictive analytics and trending

What makes PowerBI different than other reporting tools and dashboards?

PowerBI is a visualization tool that allows the user to view the data they want to. It can input large quantities of data that many other platforms would struggle to process. When implemented with the appropriate key metrics, it goes beyond toolsets that are unable to build visualizations, real-time comparisons, or integrate data across systems.

How does PowerBI compare with other solutions for regulatory reporting and submissions?

At a high-level, here is how the PowerBI (and Microsoft SQL SERVER) approach compares to the common approaches we see when working with MEDITECH clients:

What are the costs for regulatory reporting with PowerBI?

PowerBI offers three user types: Desktop, Pro, and Premium. Desktop is free for individual users, and Pro lists at $9.99 per user/mo. (CereCore is not a Microsoft reseller.) Other costs vary based on whether you choose a PowerBI provider for the setup, integration, reporting, and analytics needed. There is no additional software needed for the EHR.

Why does CereCore recommend PowerBI?

Our recommendations are not limited to PowerBI, but we do utilize, recommend, and offer services that leverage commonly-owned software such as Microsoft SQL SERVER and PowerBI. This is based on years of experience with regulatory submissions using this approach, a track-record of 100% on-time complete submissions, at less cost when compared to other approaches.

What is included in a yearly regulatory submission services project from CereCore?  

Our MEDITECH Regulatory Submissions service is a full-service program designed to includes everything from setup to submissions on a hospital’s behalf. This managed service reduces the burden of regulatory submission and typically includes:

• Assistance with validation of MEDITECH EMR updates
• Regulatory technology consultation
• MEDITECH build, query, adjustments
• PI or ECM measure data extraction/submission report creation
• PI and eCQM Measure Submission Delivery to TJC, CMS, and/or ACO
• Dashboard visibility of eCQMs, Objective Measures (Hospital Quality & Physician Quality and Core Measures (SQL SERVER or PowerBI)
• Analysis for remediation of deficiencies in regulatory measure numbers
• Integration delivery (Phis, Immuno, Direct Messaging, API, Soap, etc.)
• Dedicated clinical advisory staff and MEDITECH experts to review requirements ongoing for programs with the site.

The bottom line.

PowerBI is a powerful option for helping healthcare facilities put their data sets in context. But the true value is in an approach that can minimize the number of third-parties that may only address a piece or two of the overall organizations’ needs.

Are you interested in seeing the capabilities of PowerBI? Schedule a demo now.