Big Data and Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities of Deriving Value from Procurement Data at KFM

Topic: Big Data and Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities of Deriving Value from Procurement Data at KFM

Keywords: Big data, healthcare, data analytics, predictive analytics, procurement data, machine learning?

Your report should be no longer than 2,000 words.

1. Context- a brief review of the literature surrounding procurement data in healthcare, relevance of predictive analytics and machine learning for procurement data in healthcare, how it relates to big data and how value can be derived from machine learning

2. Research Methodology - Justify and present a clear research strategy- for a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative), inductive deductive approach and further justify how/why this works well with the Research philosophy- Interpretivism /Pragmatism. Use visual aids/diagrams to depict the proposed research strategy and timelines. Provide a highly relevant justification of your research strategy and evidence Excellent understanding of the impact of the research strategy to the case study of KFM

3. Research Aims and Objectives -these should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound- what do you want to achieve and how are you going to achieve it- these should

• To understand the degree of awareness of the big data concept and its relationship between the organisation/KFM data strategy

• To assess the impact of the challenges and opportunities presented by procurement data in the organisation/KFM • To analyse current procurement data, how its collected, and its perceived value in the organisation/KFM

• To evaluate and develop guidelines for a robust predictive analytics model with the support of machine learning

4. Research Questions- Evaluate philosophical perspectives of management research- Excellent development of research questions Research questions are clearly defined, linked to the case study (KFM) and show a degree of originality. Appropriate methods of research are clearly selected with critical discussion and are clearly relevant to research questions.

RQ1: What sort of data strategy needs to be in place in order to allow effective predictive analytics to occur at KFM?

RQ2: How can KFM use its historic and current procurement data to predict what clinical supplies will be needed in the future by the hospital (Kings College Hospital/ KCH)

RQ3: What is the most suitable predictive analytics model and tool/s that should be adopted by KFM in order to help solve RQ2?

5. Methods -describe, explain, and justify the research method you have chosen including the points below:

a. Research design- describe, explain and justify why you have chosen a case study of KFM https://www.kings-fm.co.uk/ KFM is a provider of healthcare support services. The purpose of KFM is to partner with and support healthcare providers in providing world class patient care, with all profits and cost savings reinvested in the NHS. KFM provides a fully managed service across all clinical areas which includes providing all required clinical supplies and equipment along with maintenance, training and technical support, endoscopy decontamination, sterile services, renal dialysis support, outpatients pharmacy, radiology IT, transformation and project management. KFM also runs a procurement and contract management service for all departments. KFM is a Limited Liability Partnership owned by Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with no private sector partners. KFM is a public authority not a private company.KFM has an annual turnover of around £150 million and 250 staff.

b. Data collection – describe, explain, and justify why you will use interviews, questionnaires and surveys, focus groups, documents and records-?

c. Data Analysis- describe, explain, and justify how this will be done and the tools that will be used

d. Sample size- I can provide primary data (anonymised) from KFM, but I need the expert to advise me on what data is needed to answer the research question and meet the research objectives? Current procurement data dates back to 2009

e. Ethics – Evidence understanding of ethical considerations relevant to management research relating to healthcare and data-Excellent understanding of ethical considerations Links well with the ethical considerations of the case study

f. Timescale –(with consideration the final research project is due in April 2021)

6. References (Harvard) and avoid e.g wiki/blogs – academic journal articles and reputable sources are encouraged.