I've worked in healthcare administrative roles for over 25 years, and during that time have often said that one day healthcare will simply collapse under the weight of its own paper. While electronic tools have helped lighten the paper load, they've also served to increase the industry's appetite for data and information. Where once simple paper log books sufficed, now multi-gigabyte spreadsheets, databases, charts and graphs are the norm.

Healthcare management is now largely data driven. On the plus side, accurately aggregated and reported data provides opportunities to improve complex processes. On the minus side, most of us report being swamped by a tidal wave of incomprehensible facts.

In nearly every position I've held during the past 15 or so years, I've developed at least one, if not several, small custom databases for myself and my colleagues as a way to help filter the barrage of bits and bytes that assail us on a daily basis. From that experience, Simple Data Solutions was created.

Sometimes nothing but a mammoth, web-based, SQL server application will do the job. If that's what you're looking for you won't find it here. (Update May, 2010 - That statement is now changing... a SQL version of the Patient Comment & Grievance database is in the works for customers who prefer that platform. Watch this site, or contact Simple Data Solutions for more details.) Often however, a simple, functional, well-designed database or spreadsheet in Microsoft Access or Excel is all that's needed to collect, organize and report meaningful information for a specific purpose or task.

My first product is the patient grievance database described here. It's been developed with guidance from Lisa Venn, one of the country's foremost experts on CMS patient rights and grievance regulations, with whom I had the good fortune of working in my "day" job.

Oh, and if you want the more traditional About Me info, here it is:

My recent experience includes management of professional staff credentialing and privileging in both hospital and ambulatory surgery settings, healthcare risk management, policy development, bylaws revision, Joint Commission survey preparation, consulting, web site design, and database development.

As principal of Simple Data Solutions with nearly 20 years experience in medical staff administration, contact me if you are looking for interim management or staff training for hospital or ambulatory surgery center medical staff office functions.

I've been an active member of the National Association Medical Staff Services for eighteen years, including having served in various leadership positions, and hold dual certification from NAMSS. I am an experienced speaker and the author of a number of published articles on medical staff administration and related issues. I'm also the developer and owner of the Supporting Safer Healthcare blog.

Read Simple Data Solutions - Simple for You, Not So Much For Me - from the Supporting Safer Healthcare Blog