Community Corner, Data

What is data?

• Data is gathered information. It is facts, concepts, or instructions collected in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation, storage, or processing by humans or by automated means.
• Data may consist of numbers, words, or images; it can be facts, figures, pieces of information, statistics, either historical or derived by calculation, experimentation, surveys, etc.
• For NHVR it refers mostly to the information entered into the CMS, CPT, Financial system or into a case file.
• This information can be organized and used for analysis, discussion, as a basis for reasoning or used to make decisions.

Why collect data?

• It allows for dissemination of accurate public information
• It identifies service areas that need improvement or further evaluation
• It is the only reliable way to evaluate the activity, responsiveness and effectiveness of agency services
• It promotes decision making and resource allocation that are based on solid evidence rather than on isolated occurrences, assumption, emotion, politics, etc.

Data can be used to

• Allocate resources effectively
• Communicate the importance of data collection to providers such as CRPs
• Demonstrate the need for a new program or resources
• Help gain grant funding
• Help us to see the value of the work we do
• Influence legislative policies and regulations
• Improve quality of services to our customers
• Provide justification for the program
• Stimulate new ideas