Bryan-College Station, Texas – Winners Announced in Healthcare Analytics Competition
Mays Business School at Texas A&M University in collaboration with Humana Inc. has announced the winners of the 2024 Humana-Mays Healthcare Analytics Case Competition. This prestigious competition has become one of the top forums for healthcare analytics in the United States, attracting over 900 master’s-level students from 74 universities nationwide.
Who Participated?
The competition invited full-time and part-time graduate students enrolled in accredited master’s programs, including Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Master of Public Health degrees, among others. This year, students tackled a significant challenge: how to increase engagement between Medicare health plan members and their Primary Care Providers (PCPs).
What Was the Challenge?
Participants were tasked with developing predictive models to identify Medicare members who were unlikely to visit their PCPs within a year. Their challenge was not just to recognize these members but also to propose actionable strategies to boost their engagement with healthcare providers. The competition emphasized the importance of PCP visits in achieving better health outcomes.
Results of the Competition
The student team from the University of Louisville, consisting of Hope Odubena, Susan Miracle, and Sakthiraj Kandasamy, claimed first place. Boston University secured second place with a team comprising Abiraami Balambikai, Ahmed Farid Khan, Mingze Wu, and Yichen Tong. Oklahoma State University took home the third-place honor with students Sunanda Sen, Moumita Sen, Debanik Chakraborty, and Kusuma Lanka.
Why This Matters
Nate Y. Sharp, the dean of Mays Business School, highlighted the significance of this competition in providing students with opportunities to create real-world solutions. He stated, “The Healthcare Analytics Case Competition is a great example of how Mays Business School provides opportunities for students to drive real-world impact.” According to James Norberg, Vice President of ISO Insurance & Product Security at Humana, the projects delivered valuable insights, aiding both the healthcare industry and society at large.
A Growing Competition
Now in its eighth year, the Humana-Mays Healthcare Analytics Case Competition continues to grow in stature. Previous winners include institutions like Syracuse University in 2023 and UCLA in 2022. The competition not only emphasizes the importance of analytical skills in healthcare but also fosters the innovation necessary to address current health challenges.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Mays Business School and Humana not only enhances students’ learning experiences but also addresses critical issues faced by the healthcare sector. Healthcare analytics plays a vital role in improving patient outcomes, making competitions like this invaluable for future professionals in the industry.
