Integrating SAS and Non-SAS Tools and Systems for Behavioral Health Data Collection, Processing, and Reporting

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1 Integrating SAS and Non-SAS Tools and Systems for Behavioral Health Data Collection, Processing, and Reporting Manuel Gomez, San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health, California Keith Haigh, San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health, California Joshua Morgan, San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health, California ABSTRACT Access to effective metrics for behavioral health program staff is vital for on-going monitoring of program efficacy, but making that data usable and accessible can be a challenge, especially when using legacy data systems. Modernizing data reporting and integrating data tools from dissimilar data collection and analysis systems can be a complex, challenging process, especially while trying to maintain support for on-going reporting used by non-technical program staff. Converting to new SAS analysis systems can be intimidating for non-sas users, creating a barrier to the efficient production information particularly when older less efficient processes are already in place. This paper describes the methodology used for integrating SAS, MS Excel, and a cloud-based dashboarding tool to best leverage different tools accessible to end users. The process includes transitioning between old procedures using MS Access and static indicators versus utilizing a SAS Enterprise Guide (SAS-EG) Stored Process to obtain dynamic data. SAS-EG has been used to combine data from existing data collection methods to a robust data warehouse and then develop stored processes to improve the efficiency and accuracy of analysis. The SAS Add-In for Microsoft Excel was also leveraged to increase accessibility of the data, including allowing non-technical staff to easily process results. The process includes the steps followed in Microsoft Excel through the SAS Add-In connection to upload the data for the corresponding tables and charts in a cloud-based dashboarding product. INTRODUCTION This paper describes the methodology using SAS Enterprise Guide (SAS-EG) Stored Process integrated with Microsoft Excel for data collection, processing, and reporting Behavioral Health Key Performance Indicators. The old process using Microsoft Access and static data is initially described for comparison with the new procedure. The new method is described in a simple manner, differentiated from the old one in using a dynamic data warehouse to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the results. The description involves the Microsoft Excel SAS Add-in connection facilitating the processing, especially for those who are not familiar with SAS procedures. Also included is a description of how to include cloud dashboarding techniques as alternative option to present the information. The behavioral health indicator Goals Reached for Closed Episodes is used as an example to illustrate the procedure. The consideration of other Key Performance Indicators could follow the same methodology to optimize the way of data collection, processing, reporting, and presentation. ORIGINAL PROCESS TO OBTAIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (BH) INDICATOR: GOALS REACHED FOR CLOSED EPISODES The original process is based on Microsoft Access. It includes four databases and one Excel spreadsheet (exported from Access) that keeps the historical data and adds the new values. In this case, the output includes results for the main indicator, Goals Reached, for a reference month, demographic data by age groups (<0-15y, 16-25y, 26-59y, 60+y>), and organizational information (Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) clinics and Contract Agencies (Contracts)). The following is a diagram with a summary of the original procedure: 1

2 Access Database 1 Create a Main Table Indicator with all data for the reference running month (just one month). Access Database 2 Import Main Table Indicator to get sumary results by age groups and type of organizations (DBH & Contracts) Access Database 3 Import Main Table Indicator to get grand total results. Access Database 4 Import Main Table Indicator and add periods processed before to create a new table with the trend. Export the Access trend table to Excel. Figure 1. Original Process Diagram to obtain the Behavioral Health (BH) indicator: Goals Reached for Closed Episodes The time to process and obtain the results is approximately four hours. The final report displays static data only updated for the current reference month, but prior months data are not updated. 2

NEW PROCESS TO OBTAIN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INDICATOR: GOALS REACHED FOR CLOSED EPISODES BUILDING A SAS-EG PROJECT The new process includes the creation of a SAS-EG project.

3 NEW PROCESS TO OBTAIN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INDICATOR: GOALS REACHED FOR CLOSED EPISODES BUILDING A SAS-EG PROJECT The new process includes the creation of a SAS-EG project. This project involves six SAS data warehouse tables that are daily updated through the routine Extracting, Transforming, and Loading (ETL) process. Display 1. SAS-EG project created to process BH indicator: Goals Reached for Closed Episodes This approach processes closed episodes within a specified running trend period. Therefore, for the Goals Reached indicator, it is necessary to define a prompt for the running trend period to include the current reference month and the prior twelve months, for a total of 13 months. In this example, the current reference month is May, 2017, and the running trend period is from May 1, 2016, to May 31, 2017 (13 months). 3

ASSOCIATED TO THE PROJECT To create the Stored Process (STP) associated to the project right click in any part from the

4 Display 2. Prompt for the processing period (13 months in this example: May 1 st, 2016, to May 31, 2017) CREATING A STORED PROCCESS ASSOCIATED TO THE PROJECT To create the Stored Process (STP) associated to the project right click in any part from the process flow open area, select Create Stored Process and follow the wizard. It will import all the codes used from SAS-EG project automatically. Here are some of the wizard steps: Display 3. Stored Process Wizard: Name and Description 4

5 Display 4. Stored Process Wizard: SAS codes Display 5. Stored Process Wizard: Prompt (the same as defined for the project) 5

6 Display 6. Stored Process Wizard: Prompt (Step 1) General: Name and Description 6

7 Display 7. Stored Process Wizard: Prompt (Step 2): Prompt Type and Value (Date Range same as the SAS-EG project) 7

8 Finally, the SAS-EG project and the included STP related to Goals Reached for Closed Episodes is showed below. Display 8. SAS-EG Project and STP associated The processing of this combined SAS-EG-STP project begins with the two mentioned prompts: For the SAS-EG project-and-for the Stored Process. 8

9 The prompt for the SAS-EG project: Display 9. Prompt for SAS-EG project The prompt for the Stored Process: Display 10. Prompt for STP 9

10 The STP has two outputs: The SAS Table and The Summary Report. The SAS Table contains raw data for Closed Episodes and Goals Reached by month, organization, and age groups. It is saved in the SAS data library located on the DBH SAS Server. Display 11. SAS Table saved in the Sever: SASEDI-SASDATA 10

11 Display 12. SAS Table View (specific data by Reporting Units (RUs code) and Provider Names are fictitious to maintain confidentiality) The Summary Report has three different lists of data for the running period: 1. Summary Trend by Month (Grand Total), 2. Summary Trend by Month and Organization (DBH and Contracts), and 3. Summary Trend by Month and Age Groups Display 13. SAS Report 11

12 Table 1. SAS Report: Summary Trend by Month for the Period: Grand Total, by Organization, and by Age Groups 12

13 If the STP is going to run regularly (every month in this case), an optional, but helpful step is to save it as a new isolated SAS-EG project. This can preserve the original process and more easily obtain the outputs. This new project can then be processed by any staff member with minimal SAS knowledge and experience, improving overall productivity. Display 14. New SAS-EG Project just with the STP basically used to Periodic Runs In this case, only one prompt to define the running period needs to be completed. Display 15. Prompt for the STP Project 13

EXCEL SAS ADD-IN CONNECTION Once SAS completes the results, the data can be opened in Excel file via SAS Add-In connection, if installed. Display 16.

14 EXCEL SAS ADD-IN CONNECTION Once SAS completes the results, the data can be opened in Excel file via SAS Add-In connection, if installed. Display 16. Open EXCEL with the SAS Add-In Connection Display 17. Open SAS Data Clicking on the SAS option shows a new tool bar menu related to SAS-EG operations. When creating a new link, choose the SAS Data option, which offers a selection of the SAS data and the SAS library. Pressing OK will display the SAS table in Excel. The Excel spreadsheet will be connected to the SAS table and must be saved in a folder. Display 18. Browse to the SAS Data Table saved in the Server 14

15 Once the Excel file is connected and saved, opening the spreadsheet and using Refresh option will provide results for future running needs. Display 19. Use the Refresh Option for Future Running Reports In summary, using the steps followed for this indicators we can establish a performance methodology that can be valid to obtain other Behavioral Health Indicators that include a running period (days, weeks, moths, etc.) Build a SAS-EG project and created the Stored Process associated. Design in both process the same prompt for the running period. Isolated in a new project the Stored Process and obtain the SAS table and report results. Save the table in a SAS server or a share location. Open a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, go to the SAS tab for establishing a SAS Add-In connection, and obtain the corresponding output results. Figure 2. New Process Diagram to Obtain BH Indicator: Goals Reached for Closed Episodes The process ends in this step. The time to get the data is approximately ten minutes (compared to four hours in the original process), and the current month s data, as well as historic data is updated every time the running period is processed. Therefore, dynamic data is provided for every running period. 15

16 CLOUD BASED DASHBOARD VISUALIZATION DBH currently uses a cloud-based dashboard tool, called idashboards. Three steps can be added to the new process in order to present the results in a simple and easy way to DBH management. The following are the additional steps to the process: OPEN IDASHBOARDS BACK END Display 20. idashboards Back End Main Page UPLOAD THE EXCEL FILE OBTAINED THROUGH SAS ADD-IN CONNECTION Display 21. Upload the EXCEL FILE Display 22. EXCEL File Uploaded and Data Available 16

Three of them are related to the current reference month: Gauge (Grand Total), Vertical Bars (data by organization: DBH and

17 OPEN IDASHBOARD FRONT END PAGE SELECT THE INDICATOR AND UPDATE THE REPORT Display 23. Front End idashboards Display 24. idashboards Report for BH Indicator Goals Reached for Closed Episodes In the example we get four charts. Three of them are related to the current reference month: Gauge (Grand Total), Vertical Bars (data by organization: DBH and Contracts), and Horizontal Bars (data by age groups). The line chart is related to the trend for 13 months period (including the current reference month). 17

18 CONCLUSION The new procedure to get the behavioral health indicator: Goals Reached for Closed Episodes through SAS-EG STP is more efficient and accurate than the original method using Microsoft Access. It saves processing time (ten minutes versus four hours) and also provides dynamic data (via a data warehouse connection) with updated results for the period in every run. The integration of SAS with Microsoft Excel through the SAS Add-In connection allows non-technical people to obtain the results easily and without requiring specific SAS programming and/or processing details. The methodology described is not only valid to obtain the mentioned indicator. It is applicable to process other key performance indicators in any field that require data collection, processing, reporting, and presentation in a fast and easy way. In addition, the advantage of the idashboards Excel SAS connection is a simple way to disseminate and display the results to staff members, managers, and executives of the organization. REFERENCES SAS Enterprise Guide 1: Querying and Reporting Course Notes, Copyright 2010 SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA. SAS Enterprise Guide 2: Advanced Tasks and Querying Course Notes, Copyright 2016 SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA. Aanderud, Tricia; Hall Angela; Copyright 2012, The 50 Keys to Learning SAS Stored Processes ; First Edition, pages: 63-70; San Bernardino, CA, Siamese Publishing; ISBN-10: , ISBN-13: Davidson, Kevin; Duong, Minh, Paper , Using Dynamic and Cascading Prompt in SAS Enterprise Guide Proceedings of the SAS Global Forum 2010, Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, TX. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thanks Candace Armijo from San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, Research and Evaluation Section in reviewing and editing this paper. CONTACT INFORMATION Your comments and questions are valued and encouraged. Contact the authors at: Manuel Gómez Keith Haigh Joshua Morgan San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health Research and Evaluation Section 303 E. Vanderbilt Way San Bernardino, California mgomez@dbh.sbcounty.gov khaigh@dbh.sbcounty.gov Joshua.Morgan@dbh.sbcounty.gov SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. 18

Paper HOW-06. Tricia Aanderud, And Data Inc, Raleigh, NC

Paper HOW-06. Tricia Aanderud, And Data Inc, Raleigh, NC Paper HOW-06 Building Your First SAS Stored Process Tricia Aanderud, And Data Inc, Raleigh, NC ABSTRACT Learn how to convert a simple SAS macro into three different stored processes! Using examples from