Dr Mark Davies, former medical director at the Health and Social Care Information Centre, has joined health analytics firm MedeAnalytics as European medical director.
Dr Davies was medical director and one of the most high profile figures at the HSCIC, as well as its predecessor body, the NHS Information Centre, often representing the organisation at national events.
The GP, who has 25 years experience in the industry, has also worked for the Cabinet Office. Immediately before leaving HSCIC Dr Davies led the development of its new strategy.
Speaking to EHI, Dr Davies said that after ten year with HSCIC and the IC, the bodies responsible for collecting and publishing NHS data sets, he is looking forward to a new challenge working for a health analytics firm.
"It's an interesting change in direction," said Dr Davies. "I was clear I wanted to do an analytics job, not work for an electronic patient record system supplier. I think big challenges in health informatics will be off the back of analytics, particularly measuring outcomes and financials."
He said that MedeAnalytics has what he believes to be a “compelling vision” and the technical capabilities to deliver it.
“I believe the combination of sophisticated predictive analytics and data driven population segmentation will herald a new age of understanding for those making decisions in the planning and delivery of care.”
Dr Davies said that the big analytics challenge in healthcare information is around joining data together in ways that provide insights that can be acted on.
“The really important point is about combining clinical, financial and operational data in one place,” he said.
“There has always been a divide between them and I think way to be disruptive is to provide an analytical offering that brings all together.”
He added: “The more you can do on creative presentation of data – PLICS, patient level outcomes, patient level PROMS and experience measures, and something that mashes together to reveal patient journeys, the more you can allow managers and clinicians to gain insight and act on it.”
Asked what he would bring to the new role Dr Davies said: “There is a lot of complexity, which my previous experience means I do understand. And the fact that I am a clinician means I have a good understanding of what the clinical priorities are and drive the whole engagement with clinicians with data flows.”