Keck Medicine of USC is taking data to new heights.

The medical enterprise is launching two initiatives to house comprehensive clinical and research data in an effort to better serve its patients and the community.

“The compilation of electronic health data helps providers and administrators design interventions that are safer, more effective and patient-centric,” said Tom Jackiewicz, senior vice president and CEO for USC Health. “At Keck Medicine of USC, it is critical that we look at all our data holistically to create an enterprise view.”

Keck Medicine of USC has come up with two solutions to do so.

First, it has launched a clinical data warehouse to collect, categorize and store data — in real time — from all its system entities and affiliates, including Keck Hospital of USC, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and its ambulatory satellites. This data includes demographics, quality outcomes, length of stay, billing information, patient satisfaction scores and more.

“Data integration has many advantages,” said Joshua Lee, MD, chief information officer for Keck Medicine of USC. “It allows all of our metrics to be kept in one place, making it easier and faster to analyze — a win for our patients because we can serve them even better.”

For example, measuring patient demographics against specific test results to provide more enhanced, personalized care for patients who demonstrate similar circumstances.

The enterprise is also working to create a research data warehouse initiative, which will partner Keck Medicine of USC with LAC+USC Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The joint effort — still in its beginning stages — would leverage data across the Los Angeles region to provide a comprehensive view of health care in the community.

“This is immensely critical for our research efforts, as we develop better ways to care for the Los Angeles population and the unique diseases and health conditions it faces,” said Jackiewicz. “The use of all of this data boils down to one simple goal: better options and solutions for our patients and the community.”

— By Tania Chatila