What Data Isn’t. It’s not hope. It’s not getting better or worse.

Data is at least once removed. It’s an adjective or an adverb. Health is a noun or a verb. Data informs health. It describes it: some aspect of health getting better or worse, changing over time.  People change over time. Always. The best data tells us if that ever-changing is OK or not OK. Data at it’s best has value because it reflects or motivates action. Action to improve health and wellbeing of and reduce cost to individuals and populations. Action to improve life flow of persons at the center of care and work flow for people who work in health care agencies. (The Triple Aim) Wouldn’t it be nice if we spend twice as much of our combined health care time and dollars on action to improve as we spend on data?!