Data analytics in healthcare | What is data analytics in healthcare? | What is the role of data analytics in healthcare| Challenges of big data analytics in healthcare
TL;DR
This article shows how PHNs and hospitals are overcoming common data barriers — from siloed systems to low data literacy — to make faster, more informed decisions. With real-world examples from West Gippsland Healthcare Group, South Western Sydney PHN, and Gippsland Health Alliance, it highlights how healthcare analytics is being used to improve care, manage funding, and support strategic planning across Australia.
Data analytics in healthcare: Australia’s healthcare system isn't short on data.
But much of it remains siloed, underused or inaccessible at the point of care. As a result, many healthcare providers struggle (and rightly so) to translate data into actionable insights.
Recognising this, the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has highlighted the need to strengthen the health sector’s capability to use analytics for decision-making, as part of its broader push for a more data-driven and digitally enabled system.
In parallel, in 2024 the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) called for greater use of linked data and making better use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and forecasting tools to support health planning and service delivery.
How PHNs and hospitals use data analytics
Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and hospitals play distinct roles in Australia’s health system. PHNs lead the planning and commissioning of local services, while hospitals deliver essential care across acute, subacute, emergency, and aged care settings.
Both rely on trusted and accessible data to make informed decisions that directly affect patient outcomes and organisational performance.
For PHNs, this often includes:
- Supporting general practices with secure, role-based dashboards
- Informing regional needs assessments with evidence
- Tracking the performance of commissioned providers
- Enabling rapid reporting to government and stakeholders
- Improving visibility across mental health, chronic disease, aged care, and other portfolios
For hospitals, healthcare analytics supports:
- Monitoring activity levels and NWAU funding targets
- Resource allocation and patient flow
- Workforce resourcing and service disruptions
- Measuring operational performance and quality of care
When implemented correctly, data analytics in healthcare empowers both PHNs and hospitals to make faster, more confident decisions. But what are the barriers?
Common data barriers in healthcare:
- Siloed data systems: GP, hospital, MBS/PBS, and provider systems often operate independently
- Limited internal capacity: Not all teams have access to data analysts or reporting leads
- Outdated infrastructure: Reliance on on-premise servers and Excel-based reports can hinder flexibility
- Data literacy: Staff may struggle to interpret and trust the data provided
- Complex user needs: A dashboard that works for one stakeholder might not work for another.
- Funding cycles: Projects need to deliver tangible value quickly to meet governance and budget constraints.
- Compliance requirements: Tools must meet security standards like ISO 27001, especially with patient-level data.
These data barriers are consistent across both metropolitan hospitals and regional PHNs. Addressing them requires not just the right platforms but also a practical approach to implementation.
The role of data analytics in healthcare decision-making
Healthcare organisations need trusted, accurate, and accessible data to operate effectively. Data analytics helps bridge the gap between raw information and strategic action.
West Gippsland Healthcare Group (WGHG)
WGHG partnered with Notitia to deliver Qlik dashboards and automated reporting that now power data-driven decision-making across the organisation.
Executives can now drill down into performance metrics aligned with the National Weighted Activity Unit (NWAU)—crucial for government funding and care delivery. Their project took just six weeks and included co-designed dashboards and data literacy training to ensure staff could confidently engage with the information.
“At our fingertips, we have the ability to drill down to information levels that we’ve never had before. Quick access to critical data has resulted in improved healthcare outcomes and operational efficiency.”
— Robyn Weeks, Activity Based Funding Manager, WGHG
South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN)
SWSPHN modernised their data environment in just 10 days, moving from Qlik Sense Client-Managed to Qlik Cloud Analytics.
With help from Notitia, the PHN developed user-specific dashboards, integrated data tools with MS Teams, and launched pilots that gave providers real-time access to performance and outcomes data across more than 200 commissioned services.
“More people have better access to data. That’s leading to better insights and ultimately better outcomes for the programs and initiatives that we manage for the people of South Western Sydney.”
— Nick McGhie, Digital Health & Data Manager, SWSPHN
Gippsland Health Alliance (GHA)
GHA migrated 500 Qlik applications to Qlik Cloud Analytics in just one month, enabling secure, shared data access across 17 regional health services. The solution allows larger hospitals to build and customise their reports while smaller services receive full dashboard support—ensuring equity of access to healthcare analytics regardless of size.\
“We wanted the project executed quickly and effectively, which is why we engaged Notitia to provide us with the extra resources we needed during the project phase.”
— Asher Brooks, Lead Reporting and BI Developer, GHA
Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW)
Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) partnered with Notitia to review their entire analytics environment and provide ongoing support through a flexible managed service model. With a new internal analyst in place, the hospital needed a clear picture of their systems and tools, as well as hands-on mentorship to strengthen internal capability.
Through an end-to-end technology and analytics audit, Notitia mapped NHW’s Qlik and SQL environments, identified data owners and access controls, and provided real-time training. This helped NHW increase visibility over their data landscape and empowered their analyst to deliver reporting improvements with confidence.
"We need to turn data into decisions"
Organisational data literacy is the other half of the equation. Why? Because data is only as powerful as the people who use it.
In February 2025, the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) reported that over half of allied health professionals lacked formal digital health training, with 62% relying on self-teaching and 56% unsure how to use My Health Record effectively.
AIDH CEO Anja Nikolic emphasised the need for structured digital health education.
“Training in digital health needs to be embedded in curriculums and be an integral part of continuous professional development,” Ms Nikolic says.
This is echoed by the ADHA’s National Digital Health Capability Action Plan, which outlines how Australia’s health workforce must evolve to support a more connected, digitally enabled future.
Data analytics in healthcare is both a priority and a big challenge
Healthcare organisations are under pressure to improve outcomes, demonstrate impact, and comply with national reporting standards. Data analytics in healthcare provides a way to do all three—but not without difficulty.
As the 2024 KPMG Global Tech Report points out:
“While digital transformation is a top priority across healthcare, only 29% of health sector leaders say they’ve fully implemented their data strategy—despite high levels of executive support.”
The top challenges include disconnected or poor-quality data sources, limited internal resourcing for analytics delivery, low data literacy across teams, and siloed information and legacy systems.
Data driven decision making in healthcare
Data analytics is no longer an isolated project for many healthcare organisations — it’s increasingly part of how they deliver services, manage funding, and report back to stakeholders.
Notitia has worked with PHNs and hospitals taking different approaches: some have rolled out cloud-based analytics platforms across their regions; others are focusing on targeted reporting improvements for commissioning or NWAU-linked funding.
What they have in common is the need to make decisions based on the data they already collect — and the growing pressure to do that quickly, accurately, and in a way that makes sense to their teams.
If your organisation is already thinking about how to use data more effectively, the next step is making that data easier to report, share, and act on. In our follow-up article, How PHNs streamline their reporting workflow, we go deeper into what better reporting looks like in practice — from automated pipelines and cloud dashboards to secure, real-time collaboration across programs. Whether you're a PHN, health service, or support agency, it's a practical look at how to turn analytics into action.
Questions about how Notitia can help with your next healthcare data project? Get in touch with our team.
