Answer

The topic selected is “Big Data Analysis in Healthcare.” This topic fits within the unit, as it covers areas such as information or data acquisition, analysis, and protection. Big data analysis technology happens to be among the technologies that have significantly revolutionized the healthcare sector. Adibuzzaman DeLaurentis, and Benneyworth (2017) define big data as datasets whose magnitude exceeds the capability of typical or usual software tools to capture, preserve, manage, process, and evaluate. On the other hand, data analytics refers to quantitative and qualitative techniques and procedures employed in enhancing business gain and productivity (Adibuzzaman et al. 2017). The potential of big data has brought tremendous hope in healthcare research for treatment innovation, drug discovery, optimal patient care, and personalized medicine that improve patient outcomes and reduce cost (Adibuzzaman et al. 2017). As such, it is undeniable that big data has transformed the healthcare sector in a massive way, resulting to the current more efficient and value-based healthcare system. However, despite the enormous transformations attained in healthcare, health insurers continue to grapple with the challenge of fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA).

In healthcare, FWA issues include honest mistakes resulting in erroneous billings, inefficiencies resulting in incorrect diagnostic tests, and false claims leading to improper payments among others (Raghupathi and Raghupathi 2014; Hitchcock 2018). According to Hitchcock (2018), FWA matters can be executed as large-scale operations and solo ventures by institutions and individuals respectively. FWA has resulted into adverse impacts on healthcare industry. For instance, in the United States alone, approximately $80 billion is lost every year due to FWA. This figure accounts for between 3 and 10% of the entire yearly spending on healthcare. The situation is worsened by the finding that only 5% of the lost amount is recovered annually (Hitchcock 2018). Nonetheless, as it has been proven in many healthcare issues, big data analysis technology is considered a remedy for preventing healthcare FWA.

Raghupathi and Raghupathi (2014) assert that the prominent forms of fraud and abuse are service unbundling, billing for costly procedures, up-coding, or services, billing for untendered services, and executing medically unnecessary services. In relation to this, the big data analysis technology allows for the running of algorithms at the same moment as the batch processing of claims is done, thereby resulting into immediate identification, selection, and referral of questionable claims to the clinical coding professionals for review. In this manner, the technology ensures the identification and prevention of potentially wasteful or fraudulent claims.

Big data analysis technology topic is relevant to Health Informatics Management as it focuses on the acquisition, analysis and protection of medical information with the aim of ensuring quality patient care. It is vital to note that healthcare informatics involves the acquisition, evaluation, and protection of conventional and digital medical information vital to offering quality patient care. The topic focuses on how big data analysis technology can be employed in analyzing and detecting fraudulent or wasteful information associated with billing, which can lead to financial losses in healthcare. Such an undertaking ensures effective and efficient management of healthcare information.