This book is about how analytics--mostly predictive analytics--can be used to improve outcomes in healthcare. Good data - derived from sound theory, precise measures, and comprehensive data collection processes - have provided actionable information about the patient, the caregiver, and the operations of care. This will result in inspired structure and process changes that can save millions of dollars, while improving the experience of both patients and providers. Predictive analytics can help patients heal faster, help clinicians take better care of themselves, and be used to improve every outcome in healthcare.

In the book, the authors will present data to healthcare leaders and staff members in a form that allows them to easily understand the data. It will help people in healthcare understand how to use data in the most meaningful, relevant ways possible, in order to identify the smartest possible operational improvements.

The books on predictive analytics currently available address the mathematics and outcomes, but they do not explain how to use theory or frameworks to guide the development of models of measurement in predictive analytics. In contrast, this book has been carefully written for the reader who has basic understanding in quality control and needs a systematic way to manage data and to use data to improve operations and, by extension, outcomes. This book is also useful for the doctorally prepared nurses or researchers who understand statistics but do not yet have a systematic way to measure the operations of care or use data to improve specific outcomes such as patient falls, infections, length of stay, etc. Finally, this book will benefit the executive who has decided to invest in a framework of care delivery and would like to measure the impact of the framework of care as it is implemented. This can be true for any framework such as Relationship-Based Care, Patient-Centered Care, Caring Behaviors Assurance System, etc.

This book will also be useful for academicians who teach quality improvement, research, care delivery, or organizational assessment as it provides many case studies of outcomes within a framework of care delivery, specifically Relationship-Based Care. Each case study in predictive analytics describes how both the context and theory were considered in the design of the research model used in predictive analytics.