A health systems analyst is a person who is in charge of evaluating the efficiency of a healthcare facility, such as a nursing home or a hospital. The job will entail addressing all of the resources that go into the task, such as the type of computer hardware and software used for record keeping and tracking patient care, as well as evaluating the facility’s actual policies and procedures. Analysts of this type may work as part of the facility’s staff or be hired on a consulting basis to help with upgrades or changes that are needed to keep the facility up to date and capable of providing the highest quality of care to patients.
The current information technology used within the facility is one of the key areas that the health systems analyst will address. This will cover both the technology used by doctors, nurses, and surgeons to treat patients and the support systems that order supplies, manage payables and receivables, and perform other critical functions. Assessing the quality of the equipment used for all related tasks, as well as the software loaded onto the network and on individual devices, will be part of the systems analyst’s job. The health systems analyst’s job description includes ensuring that programs are properly integrated and configured to benefit both healthcare professionals and patients currently residing in the facility.
A health systems analyst will look into current policies and procedures that govern the healthcare process in addition to the information systems and hardware used. The focus will be on ensuring that the facility complies with all governmental regulations governing patient care, including the confidential nature of patient data. Analysts will also look into issues like how many nurses are scheduled for each shift, the nurse-to-patient ratio, and other factors that affect the staff’s ability to provide adequate care to patients.
Every health systems analyst’s ultimate goal is to make the healthcare facility as efficient as possible. This allows the facility to maximize profits while also providing employees with the tools they need to complete assigned tasks effectively. Patients benefit from the analyst’s work as well, because staff with up-to-date resources are better able to provide quality care.