On Data Driven Choice Architecture in Healthcare

A foundation for building healthier communities one decision at a time

Big Data – An Introduction

In the last decade, the evolution of the Internet and the exponential surge in social media activity has created a wealth of consumer created content that has dramatically shifted the way that businesses can and should interact with their consumers. Progressive-minded marketing strategists are aware that their consumers’ voices are one of the most important drivers in shaping their brand strategy and business practices. They’ve been developing methods to mine data for consumer insight. The practice of data analytics is relatively new, especially in the field of healthcare, but for forward thinking health systems, consumer voices and Big Data Analytics will forge a path to better brand awareness, and most importantly, to dramatically improved health outcomes and a healthier, happier American population. 

Behavioral Analytics – A Brief Overview

An unfathomable amount of content is created on the Internet every minute. Data analytics is the practice of mining the content consumers create: their tweets, their emails, their videos; and analyzing it to extract an understanding of who that person is in the context of their lives beyond the Internet. As next generation behavioral analytics becomes more sophisticated and the amount of data to be mined becomes broader, our understanding of human behavior is also evolving.

For anyone willing to listen closely to the ‘noise’ on the Internet, the wealth of data consumers create online offers important insight about an individual’s personality traits, psychological markers, and behavioral tendencies. This process presents exciting opportunities across many industries and disciplines. But healthcare, perhaps more than any other field, has an opportunity to use behavioral analytics to not only improve the industry itself, but to improve peoples’ lives. 

Every byte of content created by end users (i.e., people) offers insight into their decision-making processes and the opportunity to understand their wellness habits. Embedded in the data are the character traits, psychosocial and intellectual tendencies, habits, and preferences of the individuals to which the data is connected. 

People’s Internet activities, including the words they produce, publish, and share, reveal what they care most about, what they respond positively or negatively to, and how they go about making decisions that impact their lives, whether consciously or subconsciously. Insight about why and how people make decisions at every decision point along life’s journey offers healthcare providers a previously inaccessible perspective and the opportunity to promote health and improve peoples’ lives in ways not previously available. 

Analyzing Behavior: Know Your Audience 

Big Data Analytics enables us to move beyond the “what” and “when” of consumer decision making and begin to understand why and how consumers choose. This evolution offers a great deal of opportunity for marketing in any field, but in healthcare the understanding gained from sophisticated behavioral analytics means that we can intelligently architect how, when, and where information is communicated at key decision points, improving the likelihood that the applicable choices will lead to longer, healthier lives.