Retailers for many years have used geo-analytics—visualization or mapping tools integrating sophisticated geographical and marketing data—to decide where to open stores and restaurants. Healthcare is starting to go that way, too.

Dr. Este Geraghty, chief medical officer for Redlands, Calif.-based Esri, a mapping technology company, said health organizations generally have similar data needs to those of retailers, including population demographics, population density and market potential.

But they may make very different choices based on that data when siting a clinic for low-income people versus picking a spot for a high-end clothing store, for instance. “The data are much the same, but the perspective is going to be totally different,” she said.

Healthcare organizations need to do their own homework, analyzing their customers from data extracted from electronic health records (EHRs) and health insurance claims data to see what kinds of services potential healthcare customers use, where they live and what types of coverage they have. These data can be combined with market data, traffic pattern information and retail location maps.

Hospitals typically have relied on inpatient data for planning. But the shift to outpatient care has created a gap in the availability of useful data because outpatient facilities often don’t have to report data to state agencies.

Still, the availability of outpatient data is improving as some states and healthcare analytics firms are collecting and analyzing it. The emphasis on data analysis and population health management in the Affordable Care Act is leading to improved data access to plan services and facilities and to help healthcare organizations decide whether to buy existing medical practices or build new ones. The trick is to take information generated by the healthcare system itself and merge that with public data sets such as census statistics on population density and income levels.

Additional data on disease rates, crime statistics or air quality can be added, along with locations of farmers markets, gyms and parks. The healthcare industry is at least 15 years behind the curve set by the retail, logistics and energy industries.

Our custom application development expertise allows our analysts to mix and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Additionally, we can help you monitor trends, measure progress toward a quantitative goal or flag shifts in your market or operations. Take a look at one of our healthcare success stories. And then call us to start a conversation that can enhance your data management investment while you make savvy delivery location decisions.