Data is the lifeblood of modern healthcare, but too many organizations still treat it like a passive archive instead of a strategic asset. To start, let’s highlight five common ways you might be wasting your data right now — and how to fix it.

1. Ignoring Unstructured Data

Most healthcare organizations are sitting on a goldmine of unstructured data — clinical notes, scanned documents, PDFs, emails, and even recorded calls. These resources often go untapped because they’re harder to analyze.

What to do instead: Adopt Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools and AI-driven text analysis to extract valuable insights from unstructured data. This can help you identify treatment trends, predict risks, and enhance care planning.

2. Hoarding Without Analyzing

Collecting data without a plan to use it is like buying books you’ll never read. Hospitals and clinics often amass terabytes of data across EHRs, patient portals, and billing systems — but never turn it into actionable intelligence.

What to do instead: Build a culture of decision intelligence. Use dashboards and reports that are tied to clinical KPIs — not just operational metrics — to uncover gaps, spot trends, and make informed decisions quickly.

3. Failing to Integrate Systems

Data stuck in silos is data going to waste. Disconnected systems — like EHRs that don’t talk to billing or scheduling platforms — limit your ability to get a full picture of patient care or operational efficiency.

What to do instead: Implement interoperability solutions that centralize your data. Work with integration experts (like Ortu Solis LLC) to ensure your systems speak the same language, using APIs and HL7/FHIR standards where possible.

4. Overlooking Data Security

Cybersecurity isn’t just a technical problem — it’s a business and patient safety issue. Without robust protection, your data can be exposed, lost, or even used against you in a breach.

What to do instead: Regularly audit your data access policies, encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit, and train staff to recognize phishing threats. Investing in cybersecurity now prevents costly breaches later.

5. Relying on Manual Processes

Manual data entry and spreadsheet analysis are not only time-consuming — they’re error-prone. Many practices waste hours cross-checking information that could be automated.

What to do instead: Automate repetitive tasks like patient intake, report generation, and claims reconciliation. Leverage data pipelines and workflow engines to reduce human error and reclaim staff time.

Add a Closing Message

If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone. But the good news is that these are all solvable problems. With the right tools and strategy, your data can move from a burden to a business asset — fueling better decisions, outcomes, and efficiency.

At Ortu Solis LLC, we specialize in helping healthcare providers uncover hidden value in their data through integration, automation, and strategic consulting.

👉 Schedule a Free Data Readiness Audit TODAY