Data Analytics Increase Efficiency, Reduce Costs

A growing and aging population that suffers more from chronic diseases is increasing demand on the Mexican health sector and technology can help, says Guillermo Bilbao, Country Manager and Director of PA Consulting Mexico. “Using data, harnessing the right technology and organizing care around patients are key guiding principles to handle current demand with limited resources, he says.
PA Consulting is a London-based firm that provides management, technology and innovation services in many sectors, including energy and utilities, consumer goods, financial services, government and healthcare. The firm has built a strong presence in Mexico in the oil and gas industry and is now veering toward healthcare through a collaboration with public institutions. “We want to support the public sector with the design and implementation of a distinct shift in the market,” says Bilbao.
The firm is investing in a value-based healthcare proposition of achieving a quality, personalized and preventive health system, explains Bilbao. One of the pillars on which the company relies is the use of data. “Modern devices used at hospitals generate a large amount of information. However, this information is not used properly because users often do not have the knowledge, experience or analytical abilities to fully take advantage of it,” he says. Using information properly can uncover areas of improvement and reduce operational costs by targeting care much more effectively. “Hospitals collect large amounts of information every minute but that information is not being taken advantage of. We use dark data as an analytical approach to help our clients become more data-driven. Rethinking the questions that we need data to answer allows to properly gauge the patient’s experience and improve it.”
Bilbao explains that while many hospitals invest in state-of-the-art equipment, they often do not fully exploit the technology’s capabilities, which will become increasingly necessary in the coming years. “Budget cuts in public healthcare will make efficiency crucial.” Moreover, using data effectively will allow for the creation of personalized treatments or prevention plans for patients. “Doctors and healthcare providers are fully aware that it is much more expensive to treat a disease than to prevent it.”
Mexico has numerous medical facilities but few adhere to higher standards of care. According to Bilbao, Mexico has over 7,500 hospitals but only 341 are certified. “Patients and hospitals in Mexico could benefit from a certification program that directly evaluates their performance and addresses areas to improve,” he says. While other countries have successfully implemented programs of this kind and benefit from its results, Mexico has fallen behind.
PA Consulting is now supporting a public institution in what Bilbao expects to be a fruitful collaboration with the Mexican healthcare sector. The firm expects to present and implement the first favorable results in the sector in 2020. “Eventually, we will be able to work in Mexico on everything from strategy to implementation in the healthcare sector. For instance, we have significant experience in large, consolidated sales from our work with the UK’s healthcare system.”