Storytelling with Data in Healthcare

In the data-rich world of healthcare, effective communication is more necessary than ever for healthcare business professionals and leaders. The ability to transform complex data into compelling narratives can significantly impact the patient experience, operational efficiency, and overall organizational success.

an image of medical gloved hands forming fingers into a heart shape

Data storytelling is a powerful tool for turning raw numbers into narratives that compel an audience to act. By weaving data into stories, healthcare leaders can communicate complex insights in ways that resonate emotionally, build trust, and drive meaningful action. This article delves into the transformative power of storytelling with data in healthcare, offering practical techniques and best practices to enhance the ability to communicate more effectively with data.

Data Storytelling and Healthcare

The healthcare ecosystem generates vast amounts of data, from patient feedback to operational metrics. Hospitals and care providers constantly collect information that reflects patients' perceptions of their care, yet raw numbers alone rarely tell the full story. To convert this data into actionable insights, effective communication is essential.

As an industry, healthcare has acquired a vast wealth of data concerning the patient experience (PX) which reflects back to care providers the patient's perception of their care. As Denise Wiseman, a self-proclaimed "ruckus maker" and co-founder of the Healthcare Reinvention Collaborative has noted, while there is extensive data little change has resulted despite the growth in the number of PX professionals, the addition of CXOs, extensive surveying, many consultants, and overall expenditure of time, money, and resources.

One part of the complex solution is to help leaders in that space to more effectively communicate with data through techniques like data storytelling. Check out this recorded clip from a recent discussion on this topic:

Why Storytelling with Data Engages in Healthcare

Humans are naturally drawn to stories, and this extends to how we process information. Visualizing data makes it easier to digest and understand. Research has shown that the human brain processes images around 60,000 times faster than text, which is why well-designed data visualizations are so effective in healthcare. They simplify complex data, making it more accessible to diverse audiences, from administrators to clinical staff to patients.

In healthcare, where decisions are driven by a glut of data, the ability to communicate that data visually and effectively is crucial. By engaging stakeholders with compelling data stories, healthcare providers can foster a shared understanding of what the data means, why it matters, and how it can improve patient care.

The Six Data Storytelling Essentials of an Effective Data Story

Data Storytelling Essentials Training from Periscope BPA has six components. Effective

data storytelling in healthcare lies at the intersection of three of the core elements: data, visualization, and narrative. However, to truly resonate and drive action, three additional components are necessary: data communication planning, data presentation, and the even the organizational data culture in which the data story is created and shared. Together, these six elements form the foundation for successful data storytelling:

Data Storytelling Essentials

Data Storytelling Essential #1 | Data Savvy

The ability to work with the raw information that forms the basis of your story.

Data Storytelling Essential #2 | Data Visualization

Data Storytelling Essential #3 | Data Narrative

Data Storytelling Essential #4 | Data Communication Planning

Data Storytelling Essential #5 | Data Presentation

Data Storytelling Essential #6 | Data Culture

HCAHPS Scenario: Improving Patient Experience through Data Storytelling

To illustrate the power of data storytelling, let's consider a scenario involving patient experience data at a mid-sized hospital, Meadow Memorial. The hospital regularly collects patient feedback through HCAHPS surveys, focusing on aspects such as communication with nurses and the responsiveness of hospital staff. Despite having a wealth of data, the hospital struggled to see improvements in patient satisfaction scores over several quarters.

The visuals used for illustration have been created from publicly reported patient experience data. For those who may not be familiar - the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey allows for valid comparisons across hospitals locally, regionally, and nationally. The HCAHPS survey asks recently discharged patients about aspects of their hospital experience that they are uniquely suited to address.

The core of the survey asks "how often" a patient experienced a critical aspect of hospital care, for example, "How often was the area around your room quiet at night?". Response selections are "Always", "Usually", "Sometimes", and "Never" (the latter two are combined in the reporting). Only responses in the top box, those marked "Always", ultimately count.

The continuous rolling data is published quarterly (January, April, July, October).

Now that we are past PX101, let's talk about the data

a male nurse smiles and helps helps a patient who is sitting in a chair

Recognizing the need for a new approach, the hospital’s PX team decided to apply data storytelling techniques. They started by analyzing HCAHPS data to identify key areas of concern, then created visualizations that highlighted trends and outliers. For example, they noticed that while nurse communication scored relatively high, patients consistently reported issues with the timeliness of responses from nursing staff.

To address this, the team crafted a narrative around the data, focusing on the impact of staff responsiveness on patient satisfaction. They presented this data story to both clinical and administrative staff, using clear visuals to emphasize the connection between response times and patient outcomes. By framing the data in a way that resonated with staff, they were able to foster a sense of urgency and drive improvements.

As a result, the hospital implemented targeted interventions, such as additional staff training and process changes, which led to a noticeable improvement in patient satisfaction scores in subsequent surveys. This scenario demonstrates how data storytelling can not only make data more accessible but also inspire meaningful changes in healthcare delivery.

A focused data story reporting an HCAHPS score disparity.

Addressing Data Storytelling Challenges with Solutions

Data storytelling in healthcare is powerful, but not without its challenges. With the right strategies, these sticking points can be effectively addressed. Let’s use the Meadow Memorial scenario an an example of how overcoming these challenges can lead to significant improvements.

Complexity of Healthcare Data

Challenge: Healthcare data is often complex, involving numerous variables that can be difficult to simplify.

Solution: At Meadow Memorial, the patient experience team focused only on the most critical data points, such as nurse communication and staff responsiveness, making the data more accessible and actionable for their team.

Disparity in Data Savvy

Challenge: Different levels of data literacy among staff can hinder effective communication.

Solution: Regular training, as implemented at Meadow Memorial, helps bridge this gap, ensuring that everyone has the foundational data savvy needed to engage with data confidently.

Fostering Collaboration

Challenge: Collaboration across departments is crucial for creating comprehensive data stories.

Solution: By involving both clinical and administrative staff in the data storytelling process, Meadow Memorial was able to craft a narrative that resonated across the organization, driving collective action.

Continuous Improvement

Challenge: Data storytelling is not a one-time effort.

Solution: Meadow Memorial’s success came from continuously refining their approach, using feedback to improve their data presentations and interventions over time.

By focusing on these areas, healthcare business leaders can enhance their ability to communicate complex data, leading to an improved patient experience and more efficient operations.

Summary

As healthcare continues to evolve, so too does the role of data storytelling. Advanced technologies like AI and machine learning will likely play a significant role in automating data analysis and visualization, making it easier to create compelling data narratives. However, the human experience element—the ability to craft a story that resonates with an audience—will remain crucial. Healthcare leaders who embrace data storytelling skills today will be better equipped to lead their teams and organizations in driving meaningful change into the future.

Roseanna Galindo is Principal at Periscope Business Process Analysis, specializing in organizational learning and development. She is dedicated to advancing data literacy, enhancing healthcare experiences, and empowering volunteer leaders.

Explore Roseanna’s expertise and insights on her blog, The Periscope Insighter, starting with the opening post, "Venn the Time is Right."

Roseanna offers a range of professional development services, including training workshops, keynote speaking, and executive coaching.

Visit PeriscopeBPA.com for more information or click on the button below to schedule a time to talk.

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