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The debate and push in the United States toward reform of the healthcare system is not new. The healthcare industry has faced harsh criticism over high costs and inefficiencies for the last two decades, but in the current climate of economic recession, these critiques have become louder and more persistent. Hospitals are under more pressure than ever to deal with cost constraints, declining reimbursement, and efficient use of current resources to ensure they are competitive. A key element to delivering cost-efficient quality care is running an organization that innovates, plans and manages business processes with less waste.

The integration and use of the huge volume of data, created internally by hospital systems and external sources (primarily governments and payers), are key aspects of the efficient management of hospital resources. These aspects are required to meet growing patient needs cost effectively, while maintaining quality and timeliness of service provision. Hospitals that garner more insightful and actionable analysis and outputs from data compiled from multiple locations, furnished by individuals and organizations internal and external to the hospital system, are more likely to meet the needs of the community, staff and patients. Some of the critical data integration and analysis needs of hospitals, and how hospitals are addressing these needs, are discussed below.