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Data for Good

See how data is being used to address humanitarian issues around the world

Data for Good | Data Visualization

Robert AllisonFebruary 5, 2014 0

Saving the monarch butterflies

Recent studies show that the annual winter migration of millions of monarch butterflies from the US to Mexico is at risk of disappearing - can SAS graphics help change that?!? When I was a kid (not that long ago), one of my main activities was the 4-H Entomology project. I

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Data for Good | Data Visualization

Robert AllisonMay 30, 2013 0

Create animations like Hans Rosling!

They say "Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery"... Therefore when I imitate Hans Rosling's famous world-data animation, it's not that I'm jealous, but that I'm paying homage to him! (OK, and maybe also a little bit jealous! LOL) Well, anyway, for those of you who haven't seen it,

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Data for Good | Data Visualization

Robert AllisonJanuary 31, 2013 0

Tracking tornadoes with SAS

We had some fierce wind storms all across the United States yesterday, which even spawned some tornadoes! It looks like we weathered the storm OK here in Cary (but I still need to run out to the lake and make sure my pontoon/houseboat is still there, agh!). Anyway ... as with other

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Analytics | Data for Good | Data Visualization

Robert AllisonOctober 29, 2012 0

Will there be analytics for Frankenstorm?

“Frankenstorm” is what the U.S. National Weather Service is calling the combination of Hurricane Sandy, an early winter storm heading east, and a blast of arctic air from the North. SAS headquarters is located in the middle of the U.S. east coast ... and we barely missed being the bulls-eye for this

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Data for Good | Data Visualization

Robert AllisonOctober 12, 2012 0

Building a better meningitis map

You've all heard about the recent meningitis outbreak, right? Being a data-guy and a map-guy, I went looking for maps related to the outbreak. I found the following map on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. It shows the states that received the recalled drug used in epidurals (for back

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Analytics | Data for Good

Dr. InsightOctober 2, 2012 0

Can super-powered messaging save Datapolis?

The lines at clinics, hospitals and pharmacies seemed endless. My people, the people of Datapolis, were growing wearier by the day… The targeted, on-time communications intended to inform citizens about new healthcare options and relieve stress on the system were arriving late, or being delivered to the wrong consumers. And

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Analytics | Data for Good

Dr. InsightSeptember 20, 2012 0

The League of Analytic Heroes is growing...

The League of Analytic Heroes is growing. With the addition of each new member, we are better able to combat the chaos of big data. Illumino and Magnacomm are eager to welcome their newest team member. Keep your eyes on www.analyticheroes.com for his arrival. He's already got his eye on

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Data for Good

Ross KaplanJuly 20, 2012 0

Is fraud a dirty word in health care?

It is becoming clear that a fair percentage of the health care community, particularity outside of the United States, are uncomfortable using the word, “fraud.” Instead, you see the words "risk" and "error" used more often to describe fraud. There appear to be many different reasons for the discomfort with

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Data for Good

Dr. InsightApril 17, 2012 0

Who will help me save Datapolis?

The men, women and children of Datapolis are falling ill at an alarming rate, forcing me to turn my attention away from my ongoing battle with Obscuro and toward helping the Datapolis Council of Elders distribute its medicine before it is too late. As it happens, just as we most

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Data for Good

Ross KaplanFebruary 22, 2012 0

What happens when a health care fraud scheme changes its spots?

In most of the articles and press pieces that speak of health care fraud, the topic is usually covered in broad terms regarding the type or activity that has taken place: over-billing to Medicare/Medicaid, services billed and not delivered, over subscription of medication (by members or Pharmacies), and the list

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Analytics | Data for Good

Vincent TalucciJanuary 24, 2012 0

A sad reality: Crises drive positive change within criminal justice

All too often an unspeakable tragedy leads to a needed policy or operational change through a newly-realized criminal justice system gap. While we continually work to minimize existing gaps, the reality is that as law enforcement evolves, so does the crime and so do the criminals. In recognition of those

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Data for Good

Ross KaplanNovember 1, 2011 0

Is it fraud or abuse?

When discussing fraud and abuse, it often (very often) becomes a philosophical discussion of whether aberrant activities are fraudulent or abusive. The quick difference being that fraudulent is intentional and abuse is not. The distinction quickly becomes an issue of legal and illegal as opposed to right and wrong. What

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Analytics | Data for Good

Alison BolenAugust 18, 2011 0

Humble listening: an interview with the first SAS Chief Medical Officer

As part of the staffing efforts for the new SAS Center for Health Analytics and Insights (CHAI), SAS recently hired Dr. Graham Hughes, MD, as the company’s first Chief Medical Officer (CMO). When I heard the news, I sent a few questions to Graham to learn more about the new

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Data for Good

Ross KaplanJuly 7, 2011 0

Why life cycle management matters for health care fraud analysis

Due to the rapid changes in both the health care market and more specifically the amount of fraud being committed in it, it is even more important than ever to maintain some degree of life cycle management to update the analyses used to detect and identify aberrant activity. However, many

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Data for Good

Ross KaplanMay 12, 2011 0

Health care fraud is on the rise

In the health care field, the impact of fraud, waste and abuse on payers -- whether insurance companies, government agencies or self-insured employers -- is enormous. Fraud losses weaken a payer’s financial position, with fraud loss estimates rivaling net income. Fraud losses feed the escalating care cost curve, undermining a

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Data for Good

Ellen Joyner-Roberson

Ellen Joyner-RobersonDecember 17, 2010 0

Business Analytics 101: Enterprise Fraud Management

Recently I was listening to an NPR (National Public Radio) documentary about the history of cancer and medicine’s evolution in understanding and treating cancer. This was an amazing story. I would venture a guess that nearly everyone who is reading this post has been affected by cancer in one way

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 22, 2008 0

AHIP 2008 – IT WAS A BIG YEAR AND YOU’VE BEEN A PART OF IT

I am back home in Denver and catching up on all my thoughts from AHIP 2008. Every year I come back wishing I could divide my time exponentially. After all, a quick count of this year’s session tells me that I could only scratch the surface. In total, the Institute

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 22, 2008 0

ACHIEVING PRECISION MEDICINE & LOWER COST THRU DISRUPTION

Twice this year, I have been privileged to hear Clayton Christensen outline the principals around disruptive technologies and their impact on redefining industries. I left Friday’s closing day general session, “Diagnosing the Disease: A Disruptive Remedy for Health Care”, equally excited, reenergized yet perplexed. AHIP, again, did not fail to

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 20, 2008 0

Who is providing care?

As I head over to Moscone Friday morning, I keep thinking about one statistic I heard yesterday as presented by Dr. Sobel, The Permanente Medical Group: Who provides the largest source of care provision in the US? You do! 80% of all primary care is self-care. In today's age of

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 19, 2008 0

From Global Trends & Opportunities to Engaging the Consumer: The times they are a changin'!

An afternoon of sessions followed by the exhibit hall mania to the AHIP Opening Night Reception…..from the discussions to exhibits to the presentations, there is no doubt that the business of health insurance plans is changing…..but I am not convinced we are all on the same page as to how,

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 18, 2008 0

Better evidence for what works in healthcare....Once one decides just what is evidence!

AHIP’s 2008 Institute is getting cranked up and the streets of San Fran are filling with bag-carrying registrants scurrying back and forth between their “conference hotels” (1 block to 15 blocks away) while the early session workshops are underway. This morning’s AHIP Evidence Policy “update” was a good supplement session

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Data for Good

Rick IngrahamJune 5, 2008 0

Heading Into AHIP - Looking for that "moment of insight"

As we head into the week before America’s Health Insurance Plan’s annual Institute, just a few thoughts…….. How healthy is our healthcare system? It depends of course on your definition of healthy. Imagine spending 24/7 tirelessly working to improve “the system” and always being painted as the “bad guy.” What

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