Introduction
Allocating public health funds effectively in New South Wales, a state with over 8 million residents, presents a significant challenge. The key lies in directing resources where they’re needed most, ensuring optimal patient care and health service efficiency. This task demands a strategic approach to predict and meet the highest service demands across various health sectors.
Challenge - Unravelling NSW Health's Resource Allocation Puzzle
With the goal to optimise health service delivery across the state, the Ministry’s health planning unit were faced with several critical challenges:
- Diverse Population Needs: Ensuring world-class public health services across the state’s varied demographic and geographic landscape.
- Resource Allocation: Strategically distributing resources among numerous clinical streams to meet proportional service demands.
- Financial and Operational Efficiency: Balancing financial constraints with the goal of delivering optimal patient outcomes and staff support.
- Equity and Quality: Maintaining equitable access to health services while upholding high standards of care for all residents.
Project Info
Client
NSW Health
Service
Econometrics & Scenario Modelling
Industry
Government
Solution - Data-Driven Health Planning
In response to this challenge, Predictive Analytics Group (PAG) developed a sophisticated scenario modelling and activity planning application that would eliminate guesswork from the Ministry’s business case process.
By leveraging advanced forecasting algorithms and comprehensive data analysis techniques, the application enabled health planners to accurately model the impact of new healthcare facilities, predict shifts in healthcare demand, and analyse the interdependencies between different healthcare services.
The solution, dubbed HealthAPP (Health Activity Projection Platform), allowed for an in-depth examination of various scenarios, as well as model the impact of population changes, new facilities the local level, and consider changes in supply variables (such as theatre availability) helping planners to foresee the outcomes of their decisions before implementation.
Predictive Analytics Group (PAG) responded to these challenges by developing a robust forecasting and scenario analysis module within the NSW HealthAPP Analytics Platform. This module stands out due to its high flexibility and user-friendly interface, allowing health planners to seamlessly navigate and manipulate the data.
Outcome - Fulfilling Health Services Demand with HealthAPP
The PAG solution has empowered decision-makers at the NSW Ministry of Health to allocate billions of dollars across competing priorities with newfound confidence. The application ensures that funds are distributed in line with the diverse needs and demands of patients across the state.
This data-driven approach has led to more efficient and effective health service delivery, directly benefiting the health and well-being of the state’s population.
Conclusion
The partnership between the NSW Ministry of Health and PAG has set a new standard in health planning and resource allocation. By integrating reliable analytics into their decision-making process, the Ministry has achieved better outcomes, not just for the healthcare system but for the entire community.
