Opus 5K’s latest solution is harnessing Azure Open AI to transform how the healthcare industry collects and uses data

Microsoft (MSFT): What are some of the biggest technology challenges and opportunities facing healthcare right now?

Hassan Kani (HK): As the healthcare industry turns to technology, it collects huge amounts of data. The challenge here is figuring out how to effectively allocate resources to handling this ever-growing mountain of data.

We’re hearing the term “exam fatigue” more and more often, which refers to healthcare providers having to spend more time collecting and analyzing data—that’s time taken away from the patient. What the industry needs are clever strategies to manage the data deluge, so we can turn data into meaningful insights to improve health outcomes.

This is where health technology solutions like ours come into play. MARS aims to streamline the process of collecting data and then creating a logical flow of actions for users based on automated analysis of the collected data.

In other words, it’s no longer just about collecting data, it’s about turning that data into solid, actionable insights and positive change. In this way, the industry will accelerate and develop further.

MSFT: How is MARS changing the healthcare system?

HK: Before we used our system, many of our customers relied on manual processes that were time-consuming and error-prone. This also meant that there was no way to centrally coordinate the data management framework. No opportunities for follow-ups, reminders, a single source of information, or anything else. This made it difficult to get an accurate and comprehensive picture of their organization’s compliance with various regulations and standards.

MARS has identified these inefficiencies. It offers customers a centrally managed platform with a suite of collection tools, real-time analytics with automated alerts and report distributions, and action-driven dashboards to drive corrective action based on insights gleaned from the data.

Essentially, customers can now enter data, view their results, and take corrective action in seconds. This simply wasn’t possible with the old, manual processes.

MSFT: What are some of the most valuable features of MARS and how do they impact healthcare outcomes?

HK: MARS goes well beyond data collection. Our goal with the solution is to make positive change an achievable goal by optimizing all the data the system collects.

For example, MARS can automatically distribute easy-to-use, color-coded reports to its stakeholders on user-defined schedules. It also proactively notifies users when KPI thresholds have been exceeded, reducing the need to constantly create reports and analyze data.

In addition, MARS has a workflow feature that triggers real-time alerts and triggers follow-up data collection. This codifies an organization’s policies, procedures and governance frameworks and embeds them into a single system. And it provides companies with irrefutable proof of the quality control mechanisms they have in place.

MARS also has an action register feature that provides customers with a centralized view of all quality improvement initiatives they are running, whether related to MARS data collection or not. And MARS dashboards clearly show the progress of each initiative against the KPIs.

In terms of regulatory compliance, the MARS XChange online sharing platform allows customers to share their data collection designs and collaborate with other customers. This is important as many of our customers operate to the same industry standards and there is significant overlap in the data they rely on to demonstrate this compliance.

MSFT: How does MARS use Azure Open AI?

HK: We use Azure Open AI to automate both the data collection and the action part of the solution. For example, we built MARS to query the Azure Open AI service for high-level guidance based on the industry and the specific area a user wants to focus on.

For example, suggest some questions that might be considered when conducting blood management audits in a healthcare organization.

This is where the powerful capabilities of Azure Open AI really help to ensure the effectiveness of the questions and make the process of turning them into fully functional data forms extremely efficient.

At the same time, Azure Open AI technology can optimize the data to enable positive change. For example, when the MARS dashboards identify an underperforming KPI, we use context-specific, carefully crafted prompts to identify some best practice actions that can be used as a basis for improvement actions within the organization. Again, MARS converts the proposed action items into enforceable, reportable actions assigned to specific users with one click.

Our AI modules have only just come onto the market, so we are still at the beginning. But after conducting several preview sessions with customers, we’re excited about the possibilities. The technology promises to improve the quality of data collected and encourage responsible, informed decision-making. We are confident that this can improve patient outcomes.

MSFT: How has the response to MARS been so far and what do you think the future holds for both the product and the healthcare industry?

HK: We’ve seen some really exciting uses of MARS; Use cases that we could never have imagined when we first designed the system. These include a non-profit service provider using the tool to support their inspection reports for their fleet vehicles, and a hospital using it for a satisfaction survey following the launch of a new menu.

We’ve also seen insurance forms, vaccination records, employee and personnel files, maternity forms, COVID declaration forms, and a whole host of occupational health and safety collections. There are no design limitations on the types of collection tools customers can create.

We currently have many of Australia’s largest healthcare providers on board and are exploring opportunities to bring MARS to the international market.

Additionally, the powerful capabilities of Azure Open AI make it easy and fast to get the solution up and running. However, it is important to remember that the solution is not limited to a specific industry. MARS can collect data, analyze it and promote the use of this data to improve results – across sectors.

I always tell my clients not to stop even if they just start collecting data for compliance obligations. Go through your office and find all the cases where data is manually collected and transfer everything to MARS. It’s the perfect opportunity to go digital. And with AI built into its features, the possibilities are truly endless.