Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit Sees the Value of Data with Tableau

Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA), a global leader in rapid-fire, easy-to-use business analytics software, today announced Greater East Midlands (GEM) Commissioning Support Unit has begun deploying Tableau to enhance its analysts’ ability to explore, compare and communicate NHS performance data faster, to serve patients better.

Integrating visual analytics into the Greater East Midlands’ Information, Management and Analysis platform (GEMIMA) means users will be able to contrast performance and resource management at a national and local level. Empowering its analysts to see and understand the data through visualisations for the first time, GEM will be able to quickly and accurately review levels of activity and cost against plans and effectively forecast how changes will impact frontline healthcare provision. Tableau’s software also makes it easier for GEM to identify problems, probe alternate scenarios and share best practice across the organisations it supports.

Serving more than 20 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, GEM is one of the largest Commissioning Support Units in the country. It is an NHS body that provides transactional and transformational support services to help CCGs, Local Authorities and NHS England to deliver better patient care to approximately 5 million people in the region.

Having had a funding freeze in real terms in place since 2011, NHS organisations have looked to technology to find cost savings, drive efficiencies and make budgets work as hard as possible. The Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit’s pioneering GEMIMA platform is enabling organisations to do this by providing access to the information they need to make important commissioning decisions.

Harnessing the latest technologies to provide customers with a secure web-based platform to review, share and interpret reliable and timely data sources, the Tableau integration makes it even easier for people to explore and probe their data. For example, CCGs can now compare data across the region enabling benchmarking of peers.

“We have a strong track record for innovation, and have harnessed the latest technologies on the GEMIMA platform to provide customers with a secure, accessible tool to review, share and interpret reliable and timely data sources. Through the Tableau integration we are making it quicker and easier for people to explore data, and ultimately unlock greater value for the NHS,” explained Dave Marsden, Director for Information and IT Services, Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit.

The phased implementation is being rolled out over several months, with the first application providing a visualisation and presentation layer for GEMIMA’s Significant Contract Management Module from June.

“Empowering our analysts with data visualisation technology will make a tangible difference to their work, and in the future we are looking at extending the capability to our customers. The software is so intuitive that it provides the option for people to self-serve and probe their own data. This not just delivers significant time savings, but may well provide new insights that can benefit other CCGs,” added Marsden.

“Data is only really useful if you can extract meaning and insight from it. GEM is making it simple and fast for CGGs to make-informed decisions because they can see and understand the data with Tableau. It also helps provide a clear picture of what best practice looks like in terms of performance, value and patient care which can then be replicated elsewhere – both within the GEM area and other CSUs across England,” commented James Eiloart, VP, EMEA, Tableau Software.

About Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
GEM is one of the largest Commissioning Support Units in the country. We currently serve 20 CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups), with a population of around 5 million. GEM delivers high quality commissioning support that is valued by our customers across the East Midlands and beyond. Our services are built on a strong foundation of experienced and skilled staff, a commitment to NHS values and a thorough understanding of our commissioners and patient needs.

About Tableau
Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA) helps people see and understand data. Tableau helps anyone quickly analyze, visualize and share information. More than 19,000 customer accounts get rapid results with Tableau in the office and on-the-go. And tens of thousands of people use Tableau Public to share data in their blogs and websites. See how Tableau can help you by downloading the free trial at www.tableausoftware.com/trial.

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