A murder of data...

Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a clear and convincing voice--Stephen Few

I have read many stories of crows and associated myths and find them symbolic of the human struggle between good and evil or in a less dramatic fashion--right and wrong. A favorite theme is as a symbol of communication and divination of the future.

They often find beauty in the discarded and forgotten. Patiently extracting fabric, string, hair, wood shavings and other buried treasures to co-mingle with moss, bark, and natural elements.
Their complex vocabulary is one sign of their intelligence, and is also a sign of their significance as power animals. When a crow explores something new, others watch closely to see what happens and then learn from it.--Ina Woolcott, Shamanic Journey
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Maybe when we focus less on the "other" and more on what unites us all--we can appreciate parallel insights and opportunities.

Crow is surrounded by magic, unseen forces and spiritual strength. If crow enters your life, get out of your familiar nest, look beyond your present range of vision, listen to the message(s) in its caw and act accordingly.--Ina Woolcott--For Writers Only

At least once in every meeting--there are comments from the podium about the abundance of data. Big data, machine learning, real world data, mobile data, health IT but nary a mention of the utter noise that accompanies most of it.

I review and analyze data at the patient level regularly and have observed the tokenism of including such data in reporting and strategic planning. I recently had the privilege of inclusion in a Value Assessment Frameworks Stakeholder Conference sponsored by International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

I plan on discussing much of the touchpoints in greater detail such as multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), the importance of including trade-offs in patient surveys, and economic cost analytics including budget impact analysis.

The most important topic by far was surrounding the role of the patient in value frameworks and assessments. Stay tuned while I complete the transcription of notes, interviews, and discussions to provide front-row access to better business practices for patient engagement.

Here is a sneak peak (graphic below). There are powerful examples of shared-decision making and patient engagement done right shared by attendees representing industry, medical societies, and perhaps most importantly--patient advocacy groups--stay-tuned!