When we started planning the Health Datapalooza this year I asked the planning committee, “How could we make the Health Datapalooza bigger and better? Was there a way for us to do something at the Health Datapalooza this year that would directly contribute to improving health care at the point of clinical care? Was there a way we could help primary care providers make decisions about at risk patients in their practice?
The answer was simple – yes, with a live code-a-thon during the Health Datapalooza that will give ten teams the opportunity to code using the holy grail of health data – Medicare claims data!
I am excited to announce the launch of the Health Datapalooza Code-a-Palooza – a code-a-thon where teams will compete to build an app, tool or product that could be used by primary care providers and/or their office staff to improve the quality of care they deliver towards the total health of their patients. The teams will be competing for $25,000 in sponsored prizes and using Medicare Parts A and B claims data for a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries. The data includes inpatient, outpatient, home health, hospice, skilled nursing facility, carrier, and durable medical equipment (DME) claims.
Just as you would expect, the Code-a-Palooza isn’t your typical code-a-thon for typical coders. Teams should have a good understanding of Medicare claims data and what it’s like working in a clinical care setting. When I think of what a successful team looks like, I think of four critical elements:
- First, at least one person on your team has clinical acumen and understands the workings of a primary care practice, including provider workflows and the patient experience.
- Secondly, you should have someone on your team who has killer data analytics skills.
- Third (and most obvious), you should bring the designer and developer skillsets to the table.
- Lastly, your team should bring some of your own data. The idea behind this is that teams will be able to use the 5% Medicare data to define a contextual denominator of costs and services and overlay that on your own data to get patient data resembling a real practice. – The possibilities here are really exciting!
If you think you and your team have what it takes to be part of the first ever Code-a-Palooza, apply here and get your application in by May 4th. If you feel like you have a lot to offer but don’t have a team, go ahead and submit your information to connect with other free-agents to form your team virtually.
Apply to participate in the Code-a-Palooza and be part of the movement that Health Datapalooza IV embodies. Come unleash the power of data and use your creativity and expertise to improve health care.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
More details on the Code-a-Palooza can be found on HealthDatapalooza.org.
