VIDEO | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts CDAO: Technology is Only As Good As the People Who Use Them

(US and Canada) Himanshu Arora, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, speaks with Jake Dreier, HiLabs Growth and Marketing Strategy VP, in a video interview about the evolution and adoption of technology, and staying rooted in the adequate application of data analytics.

According to Arora, the organization has to focus on producing outcomes and pull in more forward-leaning technology with some experimentation into unexplored areas. He says that it is clear that data science, advanced analytics, and machine learning are now productive areas for solving healthcare problems. However, he maintains that centering on the outcomes is crucial as the organization progresses on its journey.

Arora continues saying that, while there is a lot of promise in technologies like blockchain in healthcare, it is still all about the underlying data. He adds that, while blockchain lacks clear use cases in healthcare, there are proven uses of data science, advanced analytics, and machine learning.

On the other hand, Arora says that people are the most valuable resource, and that any technology is only as good as the people who actually use them. He reveals that the organization is implementing new things because it's the right thing to do, and it ties back with the data literacy conversation, upskilling teams, and making insights-driven decisions.

Sharing advice for leaders, Arora points out that they need to stay rooted in the impact of analytics tools in three key areas:

1. Have a roadmap that starts small. There is no shame in starting small.
2. Lessons can be learned from each other. Create partnerships within and outside the organization, and figure out what people already know.
3. Making incremental change is very important. Focus on the outcomes in conjunction with starting small.

CDO Magazine thanks Himanshu Arorafor contributing his thought leadership to our global community.

See more from Himanshu Arora

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