The use of statistical information is vital in the healthcare industry.
In my current position, we utilize data every day to make it a safe and comfortable environment for every single patient that uses our products. The products we specialize in range from commodity to special devices used in surgery. Statistics are used in my workplace twofold. There is the healthcare side, as well as the sales aspect of what I do.
The company I work for sells products to hospitals, laundries, and other healthcare related facilities.Our products vary from reusable linens to disposable goods, surgical devices, and many more clinical commodity items. I deal directly with customers who have a choice on the products that they buy. They are searching for statistics from me to help them find solutions for their patients. They need to know what makes my product stand out above the competition in the statistical aspects of productivity. They also need to know the price and statistical comparison of other companies to determine if I can give them a better deal.
Most of the time, clinicians depend on evidence based practice results from my company to assist them in making a decision. Descriptive statistics is used throughout my job in so many ways. Descriptive statistics is a set of brief descriptive coefficients that summarizes a given data set, which can either be a representation of the entire population. The measures used to describe the data set are measures of central tendency and measures of variability or dispersion. Every month my company will distribute rankings by our sales numbers in each of the sales categories, some of which I mentioned above.
There are 4 categories and the statistics for each show a percentage of sales. For example, The Pillow Factory has a weighted value each month that equates to 15%. The Pillow Factory makes up one bucket and is based off of growth dollars. If I grow each month then I have exceeded my weighted plan in this category. There are three other buckets that I must grow in as well to earn a commission. They gather all of this data and summarize it each month with proprietary software.
It also shows the number of sales per month by each employee so that we have a monthly status of where we are ranked.Inferential statistics is used more on the product side to prove reliability and functionality of the products. It is making inferences about a population based on data gathered by samples. One particular product that I carry is the Derma care under pad. We gather evidence that our pad actually wicks moisture away faster and more efficiently than our competitors.
The reason this is important is to prevent the breakdown of skin due to moisture. The data we show our clinicians will involve how we reduced the number of skin issues once our pad has been implemented.We have data that covers the entire United States and the impact of wound care if no action is taken to help reduce skin integrity issues. This is what helps seal the deal once they see the empirical data that is brought by our company. The four levels of measurement are used in my workplace due to the many aspects of the company itself. Levels of measurement are in important because it directs what statistical tests may be used to analyze the data sets collected by the research aspect of the company.
Nominal measurements are used in one area of my company when gathering data regarding the average age of fall victims.The older a patient, the more likely they are to fall, that’s common sense. We take it a bit further by analyzing data per procedure or ailment and the likelihood of that patient taking a major fall. Ordinal measurement is a ranking system without meaning and is used in our pillow products to determine the durability of the product. On a scale from 1 to 4 the pillows are ranked. There is a lot of science that goes into the fluid permeability and loft levels of pillows.
Each of our products are ranked to help customers identify the proper pillow for their facility.If the pillows are being used in an isolation area or emergency department, it may be best to go with a low level disposable pillow that is ranked level 1. If you are utilizing pillows in an extended care facility and have concerns with comfort but also the ability to clean each pillow, you would utilize our level 4 pillow. Interval measurement is a ranking system based on an interval measurement without an exact zero.
The CDC recommends that we process our microfiber over 160- degrees in order to properly kill all the contaminants.If a product is inferior and cannot handle the 160-degree temperature, then we would be able to conclude that the product should not be used in a patient setting. The difference in temperature is critical when processing linen that has been exposed to contaminants. On the other hand, if we process specialty bariatric linen at the same temperature, it would lose all filament and not function in the same way.
The ratio level of measurement is a ranking system with a true zero point. Each sales person is given a quota they must meet and statistics are used to show the percentage to plan each person meets based on the dollar number of sales.Basically I don’t make anything unless I hit my quota. At that point I will make growth commissions starting from the first cent earned.
If I do not grow my territory I would not make any money compared to the prior year. Statistics can be a vital part of healthcare sales and important in company success and patient satisfaction. If the data is no interpreted accurately, it could cause issues in decision making for the company, it could cause tension with customers, possibly ending in a loss, or cause division and frustration among employees.In the sales side, statistics are used to determine commission and rewards given. Recently, statistics were inaccurately interpreted causing the company to overpay the wrong employees. At this point the company had to make a decision to allow those employees to keep their commission and correct their mistake, eliminating division and strain among employees.
Statistical measurements in ranking of employees drastically affect their salaries and position in the company.Referenceshttps://www.thoughtco.com/levels-of-measurement-in-statistics-3126349http://encompassgroup.net/content/pdf/reusable_textiles/DermaCare_Brochure.pdf
