by Parker Jones | Oct 29, 2020 | General BI
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on nearly every business sector, the ripples of which will continue to be felt for years after a vaccine is released. Most of these changes have been challenging for businesses, with thousands of companies being forced to close their doors permanently or make drastic changes to keep customers safe.
While the effects are universal, some industries have been hit much harder than others. Many have even been given an unexpected windfall from the changes. In this article, we will examine some of the varied effects of the pandemic and what changes companies can make to stay ahead of them. (more…)
by Kathy Sucich | Oct 26, 2020 | Healthcare
When everything is running as it’s supposed to, a hospital is like a well-oiled machine. Each department plays a role in keeping the hospital working. But when one of the links in the chain isn’t at its best, it can negatively impact the entire organization. The emergency department is critical to the overall flow and financial health of the hospital. And now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more critical that a hospital’s emergency department is running at peak efficiency. This helps both hospital finances by getting patients in the door and patient care, as patients don’t have to wait for long periods of time and can quickly and safely get to where they need to be without the potential for exposure. However, the emergency department faces unique challenges. As Nora Lissy, RN, BSN, MBA, Dimensional Insight’s Director of Healthcare Implementations, says, “A poorly run emergency department can result in poor customer service, low employee morale, and the increased potential for poor clinical outcomes.” (more…)
by Meredith Galante | Oct 20, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Stirred, not slurred—that’s the slogan for Curious Elixirs’ new line of non-alcoholic mocktails.
A cocktail without the buzz may not seem buzz-worthy, but the non-alcoholic beverage market amounts to $280 million, according to Statista. The industry expects growth by 7.1% this year. The non-alcoholic drink market, which does include soft drinks, is expected to be valued at more than $2 billion by 2022, according to Allied Market Research.
Consumers now want non-alcoholic drink options for either mid-week sips or because they’re exploring a sober lifestyle for health reasons. Some of the non-alcoholic drink companies dub this month “Sober October.” The idea is similar to Dry January; people who partake spend the entire month not drinking alcoholic beverages.
“Forecasters expect COVID-19 to accelerate the decline of booze consumption in the U.S. As fewer people visit bars, restaurants, and sporting venues, retail purchases have increased, but overall intake has been dropping,” Bloomberg reports. “The drinks industry is responding with an onslaught of non-alcoholic spirits whose flavors evoke those found in traditional bottles. ” (more…)
by Lindsey Berke | Oct 19, 2020 | Healthcare
In part one of “COVID-19 in Children and Young Adults,” we discussed the effects that COVID-19 has had on infants and young children. At the beginning of the pandemic the most affected populations, in terms of hospitalizations and deaths, were older adults and the elderly. As a result, news coverage and personal concern rarely focused on age groups such as infants and younger children, leaving many people blind to the negative effects that COVID-19 had on those age groups. In a similar but unfortunate situation, many teenagers and young adults seem to take the low hospitalization in their age group as an immunity card. In fact, individuals who identify as part of the Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and millennial (born between 1981 and 1996, though the U.S. Census has said it includes those born between 1982 and 2000) age group are often the ones who spread the virus the most. Let’s take a look. (more…)
by Parker Jones | Oct 15, 2020 | General BI
Seasonality analytics encompasses the occurrences of factors that are unique to a specific time, condition, or planning for an event that could occur like a natural disaster. In this article we asked three-Dimensional Insight experts from our beverage alcohol, healthcare and partner sectors to discuss the use of analytics to the plan and report on the effects of seasonality within their markets. (more…)
by Meredith Galante | Oct 13, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Each country’s individual handling of the pandemic is affecting how the wine industry is rebounding. But even the countries which have managed to control the COVID-19 outbreak are still suffering from the global economy and tourism industry flailing.
Around the world, wine-producing powerhouses such as New Zealand, Napa Valley, France, and Australia are all having to deal with the challenges the pandemic has imposed upon the wine industry.
Things are so bad some countries are even transforming their wine into hand sanitizer. Let’s take a look how some wine-oriented countries are handling the pandemic: (more…)
by Parker Jones | Oct 6, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Wildfires have been burning across the west coast of the United States for several weeks now. It seems like every time one blaze is quenched, a new one springs up elsewhere. These fires have tragically destroyed thousands of acres of forests and hundreds of homes, and are only now being successfully contained. Several businesses were severely hurt by the disaster as well, including California’s wine industry. In total, 81% of the wine produced in the United States comes from California, making it the fourth largest wine producer globally.
While the full extent of the damages is unknown, the data clearly indicates that fires like this one are becoming more and more frequent. How will these fires affect the wine industry in 2020 and beyond, and what can be done to help?
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by Lindsey Berke | Oct 1, 2020 | Culture
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and on Saturday, September 26th, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital held the St. Jude Walk/Run Boston. Dimensional Insight was incredibly honored to be the registration sponsor for the second year in a row. Unlike the previous years, the event was virtual due to COVID-19. However, that did not stop St. Jude and its supporters from making it a successful event. (more…)
by Lindsey Berke | Sep 24, 2020 | Healthcare
We often talk about the effects that COVID-19 has on adults, since that is the age group that tends to be most affected by the virus. But has doing so created a blind spot in our precautions when it comes to infants and younger children? At the very beginning of the pandemic, little of our worry was focused on children — if any — because there were very few cases of babies and children contracting the virus. However, this may have led to the misconception that we can let our guard down when it comes to kids. Let’s examine. (more…)
by Parker Jones | Sep 22, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, alcohol delivery services are changing the shape of the liquor industry during the pandemic. Their convenience has led to millions of new customers around the country, which is impressive, considering there are still many states where they aren’t allowed to operate. Most of these services work by partnering with local liquor stores, which show their catalogue of products on the service’s app or web page, so that users can select what they want and purchase it online. Then, drivers hired by the delivery service bring the bottles to the customer and receive a small commission and, hopefully, a tip.
It would seem that this relationship benefits everyone involved: the liquor store, the delivery service, the driver, and the customer. However, some people argue that the relationship actually hurts local liquor stores, who receive significantly less money per sale than they do from in-store purchases. What are the downsides to these partnerships, and how can they be improved? The answer, as you might have guessed, involves data. (more…)
by Meredith Galante | Sep 15, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
You may be surprised to learn that some people walking around with headphones on are not listening to the latest Taylor Swift album, but are instead learning about the latest liquor industry news and gaining a few mixology tips.
One hundred forty-four million Americans listen to podcasts, and there’s no shortage of great drink podcasts that provide mixology tips, industry news, and more.
Businesses spent a total of $497 million on podcast advertising in 2018, according to Small Biz Genius. But with the abundance of podcasts seeking sponsorship, liquor companies can benefit from joining that club to gain customers and increase brand awareness. 54% of podcast consumers say they think about buying products advertised during the podcast, making this a new possible revenue channel for brands. (more…)
by Teddy Craven | Sep 14, 2020 | Healthcare
The history of our world’s health system has not seen a centralized drive for a single solution on the scale of our current COVID-19 vaccine development. From clinical trials and research to private funding and new technological breakthroughs, the information generated from vaccine research is creating a massive data overload that requires a robust analytics platform and artificial intelligence to effectively turn raw data into positive outcomes.
Data analytics will be vital in condensing the disparate data sources into a clean manageable dashboard for professionals to drive improvements. Once this initial data collection problem is overcome, artificial intelligence will be able to derive deep, predictive insights into vaccine development, thus speeding up the process and delivering better outcomes. (more…)
by Parker Jones | Sep 10, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Alcohol delivery apps are perhaps the fastest-growing area of the beverage alcohol industry right now. Even before the pandemic, sales for alcohol delivery services were on the rise. But once the stay-at-home orders were put in place, their numbers went through the roof. Months have passed since then and liquor stores are back open, but the delivery apps are still going strong. Perhaps customers who initially tried out the apps during the early days of the pandemic came to rely on their convenience, or perhaps people recognize that case numbers have not gone down and that non-essential trips out of the house are still a risk. Whatever the reasons, alcohol delivery apps appear to be here to stay.
But there’s one big problem with these services that hasn’t yet been solved: they aren’t available to everyone. Roughly half of the country, by area, is located in a ‘dead zone.’ Delivering within cities is easy enough, since the storage facilities and residences are all fairly close together. But in non-urban areas, having the infrastructure to deliver to every single home just isn’t practical. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been good for business in some ways, it also presents new challenges, especially in delivering to new areas. How long will it take for these services to be available nationwide, and is that goal even realistic? (more…)
by Lindsey Berke | Sep 3, 2020 | Healthcare
The COVID-19 pandemic has flipped the world upside down, and is still affecting millions to this day. While the process of developing vaccines is underway and many countries outside of the United States have already lifted their strict protocols as their cases decrease, the case count in the U.S. is continuing to rise. Technology that can further prevent virus spread, such as contact tracing, is needed now more than ever. How does contact tracing really work? How accurate is it? And is it a violation of privacy? Let’s take a look. (more…)
by Meredith Galante | Sep 2, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Customers don’t want to try something new right now. Sales for well-known brands have sky-rocketed, leaving smaller brands, restaurants, and bars behind.
“People are buying more, but cheaper and commercial stuff. They’re not willing to take a risk and try something different right now,” Juan Quintero, a partner in the liquor store Whiskey and Wine in Manhattan, told The New York Times.
The National Restaurant Association’s survey estimates that the restaurant and foodservice industry lost nearly $120 billion in sales during the first three months of the pandemic, according to ABC News. Eateries and bars raked in $38.6 billion in sales in May, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, but that’s down $27 billion from January and February of this year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Now wineries, restaurants, and bars are trying to recover. (more…)
by Lindsey Berke | Aug 27, 2020 | Culture
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect the lives of all too many people around the world, topics such as racism and inequality remain at the forefront of conversations nowadays- as they should be. In a previous article, we discussed how racism is strongly tied to the healthcare system and how COVID-19 has only further proven that fact. Now we’ll also take a look at how the pandemic has impacted gender inequality. (more…)
by Teddy Craven | Aug 26, 2020 | General BI
The return to the office is fraught with many challenges for employers. Unlike the NBA or NHL, the vast majority of offices cannot isolate within a “bubble,” so companies must plan for the new normal of working around COVID-19. The most effective way for employers to avoid a breakout is by utilizing effective PPE and social distancing measures. These measures include mandatory mask use in the office, increased desk separation, and rotational in-office schedules.
Beyond PPE and social distancing, there will be a demand for health testing and contact tracing. Both of these preventative measures will require robust data capabilities in order to process the massive influx of employee data. In addition, companies will need to focus on data governance to properly manage the sensitive health information that is collected.
As the country moves back into the office, employers must strike a delicate balance between staying informed of health risks and maintaining employee privacy. Let’s first dive into the need for and benefits of employee testing and how data analytics can improve office safety. (more…)
by Parker Jones | Aug 25, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
We already know that Americans are drinking more during quarantine. This is understandable, since it often seems like there’s not much else to be doing while trapped at home. Some have attempted to keep themselves busy by picking up a new hobby instead. Activities like breadmaking are becoming more popular than they have in decades. And now, many have begun combining drinking with hobbies by crafting their own beer, wine, and spirits at home.
Several online retailers are now selling home brewing or infusing kits, which can be used to produce small batches of beer, whiskey, gin, and several other types of spirits. Making liquor at home can be a nice way to avoid unnecessary trips to the liquor store during the pandemic, but more importantly, gives people an entertaining activity that lets them learn more about their favorite spirits. The popularity of these kits has grown during the pandemic, and will likely continue to do so. (more…)
by John Sucich | Aug 20, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
For most of 2020, any news regarding the supply chain has been bad news. Even setting aside the COVID-19 pandemic, other stories that have dominated the news cycle, including the China-U.S. trade war and Brexit, have disrupted the way the world does business.
But it’s the pandemic that has left many industries reeling. The big difference is the fact that organizations were forced to react to something for which they had no plan. In an effort to prevent that from happening again – and to help them recover from the setback of the pandemic – organizations that rely on the supply chain are turning to technology. (more…)
by Meredith Galante | Aug 19, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Spending Friday evening sipping on a glass of wine inside a trendy wine bar or mingling at the local pub seems to be a luxury of the past.
Since COVID-19 began ravaging the United States in March, indoor dining and drinking have been closed in many states. Those states that do allow indoor dining do so at limited capacity.
The National Restaurant Association conducted a survey that estimates the restaurant and food service industry lost nearly $120 billion in sales during the first three months of the pandemic, according to ABC News. Eateries and bars raked in $38.6 billion in sales in May, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, but that’s down $27 billion from January and February, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (more…)
by Parker Jones | Aug 13, 2020 | Healthcare
Since nearly the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC has identified three primary tactics that ordinary people can employ in their day-to-day lives to help stop the spread of the deadly disease. These are social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a mask in public. While many Americans seem to be struggling to adopt these lifestyle changes, the recommendation of wearing a mask has been the most controversial. Part of this may be due to the WHO and CDC initially doubting the effectiveness of face masks during the early days of the virus. As more data about the new disease emerged, they quickly reversed this position.
Opponents of the mask mandates argue that being compelled to wear a mask in public infringes on their freedoms, while ignoring the fact that their refusal infringes on others’ right to life. Many falsely believe that they aren’t contagious because they don’t have symptoms, or that the masks aren’t effective. However, all reliable data indicates that this is not the case. (more…)
by Teddy Craven | Aug 10, 2020 | Healthcare
The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves through the medical community by putting extreme stress on the information technology capabilities of health systems. Before March, hospitals were moving slowly in the direction of data literacy and EHR flexibility, but the health crisis has drastically increased the need for health systems to be able to take in and interpret large amounts of population data. The turn towards data literacy has been dramatic and sudden. Here are the specific ways strong data analytics can be used to combat the pandemic.
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by Meredith Galante | Aug 4, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
Since the death of George Floyd in May, Black Lives Matter protests have flooded the streets across the country. In Corporate America and across a multitude of industries, companies are pledging to devote more resources towards and focus on Black brands, Black entrepreneurs, and Black-owned businesses.
In the wine industry, there are only about 11,000 Black-owned wineries, but this small contingent is powerful, and they are making unique, delicious vintages.
“Wine and the wine industry has historically been a white man’s world, and that’s changing quickly,” Robin and Andréa McBride, who founded The McBride Sisters, told Forbes in 2018. “We encourage the wine consumer to explore outside of the old expectations of wine.”
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by Lindsey Berke | Aug 3, 2020 | Healthcare
Racism has been a major societal issue since the beginning of time, and unfortunately, it’s not a thing of the past. Today especially, it’s speaking just as loud as it was decades ago. But now with COVID-19 in the mix of the current social justice movements, it’s important to talk about how the two intertwine with each other and how racism is very relevant to the healthcare system. In the newest Smarter Healthcare podcast, episode 8, Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH Dean, of Boston University School of Public Health discusses the social determinants of health, as well as COVID-19 and racism in healthcare.
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by John Sucich | Jul 30, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
About the only thing organizations were certain about when the pandemic hit was that the future of the supply chain was uncertain. Different government responses at different times around the world meant that companies needed to figure out where they would experience problems…and then anticipate what might become a problem next.
Reliable data that companies had culled for years became less reliable as the pandemic wore on, and companies needed to adjust. They began to look for any ways they could make their data usable again. Part of the solution for many organizations was turning to innovative technologies to get the information they needed to make sure their business could survive COVID-19. Here’s a look at some of those technologies and how they’ve been used effectively.
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by Parker Jones | Jul 28, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
In times of economic turmoil, the wine and spirits industry has typically been one of the most resilient sectors. Even now, with the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the U.S. economy, sales of alcoholic beverages remain strong. However, that is not to say that the pandemic hasn’t had some profound and unexpected effects on sales.
Although it’s already been said ad-nauseum, these truly are unprecedented times. As such, sticking to current methods, or basing decisions on what worked in the past, is a recipe for failure. The best way to quickly determine what is going on, and how to respond, is to follow the data.
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by Teddy Craven | Jul 27, 2020 | Healthcare
A pandemic lights the fire for change at a health system in a way that no other entity could ever accomplish. For years, experts have been calling for greater data integration and implementation across health systems. Now that caregivers have been forced to socially distance themselves from patients, the call has been answered in ways that were previously unheard of in the world of health data analytics and telehealth communication.
The prevalence of smarter and more data literate hospitals means that patients receive a safer and more personalized experience with healthcare. But let’s back up a minute to see how health systems have changed in the last four months and how data integration is key to all of these initiatives.
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by John Sucich | Jul 23, 2020 | General BI
It’s safe to say the 2020 Major League Baseball season will be unlike any other. Games will be played with no fans in attendance, and the fans watching from home will see a game that is at times completely different from what they’ve come to expect. Playing the game during a pandemic has resulted in rule changes as well as a shortened season and changes to the schedules teams play.
There are a number of effects the pandemic has had on baseball as an industry: no fans in the stands means there’s been a disruption to the ballpark vendor supply chain, and the sport will be dealing with financial repercussions for years. But as for the game on the field, it is one flush with statistics, and the analytics portion of baseball has to adjust for the 2020 season as well.
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by Lindsey Berke | Jul 22, 2020 | Healthcare
In a world of ever-changing, advanced technology, face-to-face conversation as well as empathy and compassion may be fading away among individuals. However, one place that empathy and compassion must not fade is within the healthcare industry.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the topic of empathy in healthcare, and the main takeaways from episode 1 of the Smarter Healthcare podcast: Empathy in Healthcare with Chris DeRienzo, MD, MPP. DeRienzo is the author of “Tiny Medicine” a book in which he shares the lessons he’s learned as a neonatologist.
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by Meredith Galante | Jul 21, 2020 | Wine & Spirits
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many aspects of day-to-day life, including what liquor stores are selling.
Typical buying patterns have changed. Customers have larger ticket sizes to reduce the frequency of their deliveries or avoid having to make multiple trips to the store. Customers are also sticking with big-brand names they can trust.
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