Search Results for: covid-19

Listen and/or download the episode here: Every week, we talk about important data and analytics topics with data science leaders from around the world on Facebook Live.  You can subscribe to the DataTalk podcast on iTunes,  Google Play, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and Spotify. DataTalk features data science leaders at MIT, Caltech, United Nations, Gartner, Twitter, Google, Salesforce, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, Google, Spotify, Dow Jones and downloaded in over 75 countries. In this episode, we learn how Marcelo Pimenta led his data science teams in São Paolo, Brazil to quickly launch a COVID Radar -- a data platform to help health care organizations, universities and other global organization track and fight COVID-19. This innovative project led Experian to partner with BCG, EY, Edelman, Microsoft, United Nations, World Observatory of Human Affairs, The World Business Organization, Porter Novelli, Pacto Global, and many others. This data science project by Experian has earned the support of countless organizations; including: Amazon, SAP, ZenDesk, Azul, Inteligov, Kiddo, Natura, Neoway, Tableau, The Body Shop, and many others. You can catch the video of this conversation here. Marcelo Pimenta Marcelo Pimenta serves as Experian’s Head of DataLab in Latin America. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Universidade de São Paulo and his M.B.A. from Fundação Getulio Vargas. The show is hosted by Mike Delgado at Experian. Please reach out if you have suggestions for topics or guests or guests. Check out our other data and technology conversations here.    

It’s been an interesting - and inspiring - six months. My short time as part of the Experian family (following the acquisition of MyHealthDirect last year) has exposed me to the extensive capabilities and innovative mindsets this company offers, and that has clearly been on display during the pandemic. It’s been amazing to see what Experian has accomplished in such a short time to turn around tools and resources that can help healthcare organizations better operate in the “new normal.” With our expertise in providing front and back-end technology and data sets that are vital for operating patient engagement, revenue cycle, care and identity management solutions, we felt we were well-suited to address some of the new systematic needs healthcare organizations would face in light of the pandemic. Experian’s mantra is to apply “data for good” and we pressed the gas pedal to leverage what products and data we had that could address COVID-related operational issues. Additionally, we looked to innovate in ways that addressed the needs of our clients. Our efforts produced new, free resources such as the following: Experian COVID-19 Outlook and Response Evaluator (CORE) – this “heat map” is intended to guide healthcare organizations and government agencies as they plan for coronavirus recovery. The map leverages de-identified data such as pre-existing conditions and social determinants of health to form a comprehensive picture that predicts possible pandemic impact on communities. Staffing, supplies, community outreach and facilities planning all benefit from any kind of “advance warning.” Payer Alerts Portal - a free comprehensive list of payer modifications including COVID-19 and telehealth payer policy alerts for United States hospitals, medical groups, pharmacies and specialty healthcare service organizations pulled from reviews of over 52,000 Web pages operated by more than 475 payers. These alerts deliver a comprehensive overview of the latest policy and procedure changes, as well as a link to the source of the payer policy, so providers can quickly make required adjustments, save time and streamline operations. In addition, Experian has helped clients quickly secure remote patient access to portals and scheduling as the pandemic necessitated a quick pivot to “contactless” healthcare. We also worked with our clients to enable their work-at-home transitions, maintaining access and functionality for collections and reimbursement – both for pandemic-related services and as they slowly brought elective procedures back online. And, our revenue cycle management products have served as a critical part of many clients’ focus on recovering revenue lost to the national shutdown. In times of crisis, heroes are more visible. These incredible challenges can bring out the best in people. Working with our healthcare clients every day has left us in awe of those who work tirelessly to take care of COVID-19 patients (and ALL that comes with that role) despite many obstacles. They inspire us and we are forever grateful. To access these resources, visit our COVID-19 Resource Center at https://www.experian.com/healthcare/client-services/covid-19/resource-center.  

While consumers throughout the U.S. continue to manage the impacts of COVID-19, aside from health and wellbeing, one of the most salient concerns has been around the health of consumers’ finances. With many falling under some form of stay-at-home order since the onset of the pandemic, local economies have been jolted and some consumers may be feeling the financial impacts.   As part of Experian’s commitment to improve the financial health of Americans and educate on debt and credit, we focused our research efforts to analyze internal and external data to show how consumer finances have changed in recent months.    Through our initial review, we found that certain measures of consumer finances, on average, had improved since the onset of the pandemic. Whether due to the unprecedented government stimulus, or changes in spending, consumers saw a reduction in average debt and increased average credit scores. Though the data is rapidly changing and the true financial implications of the pandemic may be partially obscured by governmental stimulus efforts, we wanted to take a snapshot and highlight how consumers are faring in the moment. By providing these insights, we can use data for good, helping organizations, experts, and others apply learnings that may positively guide efforts in the future for the benefit of all.     Our Main Findings from January 2020 to May 2020:   The average VantageScore has increased by 5 points   Total average consumer debt total declined by 1%   Average consumer credit card balances have decreased by 14%   The average credit utilization ratio has dropped 5 percentage points   These findings offer an important snapshot of consumers five-months into the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. Though initially positive, we want to keep an eye on these trends as they could change over time as government policies and stimulus efforts are amended to adjust to future conditions. To continue providing relevant insights on prevailing trends in consumer finances, we will work to maintain updated research content as the data become available.     You can find links to our most recent research below, and check back at Experian.com/research for updated articles over the coming weeks.   Our Most Recent Research Articles:   COVID-19 Impact: Changes to Consumer Debt and Credit  COVID-19: Consumers Reduce Overall Debt During Pandemic  COVID-19: Credit Utilization Drops as Consumers Cut Spending 

We are excited to share that Experian is proudly supporting MIT’s Solve initiative, which is focused on helping to solve global challenges. We are committing up to $100,000 for the Good Jobs & Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Learning for Girls & Women challenges. Each promotes the financial health of workers, businesses, and communities affected by COVID-19.   At Experian, we feel it is our responsibility to help create a better future for the societies where we work. Today, communities, businesses, and individuals are being confronted with difficult challenges because of COVID-19. We are developing solutions to some of the financial problems that are being faced due to the pandemic. Our key focus is helping people improve their financial health and get better credit, which will help them secure essential services and achieve their goals of owning a home, starting a business, or reaching other ambitions. Some of our accomplishments include Experian Boost having already been used by more than 4 million Americans to try and boost their credit scores; our social innovation programs, focused on delivering societal benefits, which have reached 14 million people; and our employee volunteerism – with employees volunteering 54,000 hours to provide support to people through our financial education and community programs.  Through Experian’s Social Innovation funding program, we develop innovative products that aim to offer societal benefits. Our dedication to social innovation will be on display as we support MIT’s Solve Challenge, which focuses on innovation in the social impact space. This competition is open to tech-based entrepreneurs across the globe and is focused on developing solutions to create lasting change.    Each year, MIT receives thousands of applicants for this program. Our challenge is specifically related to solving financial health issues which have arisen for consumer groups as a result of COVID-19. We will be splitting the $100,000 prize money to accelerate up to four ideas into market, and we will also provide other assistance such as our in-house expertise and resources. This will include mentoring and potentially data or analytics to support the delivery of the most innovative solutions.   Innovation is at the core of this challenge, which is a key focus at Experian. We have been frequently recognised as one of the most innovative companies in the world and feel that our mission and vision will help make this initiative successful. Our people, data, and analytics will support the delivery of the most innovative solutions that are meeting the challenges in today’s challenging landscape.  We are proud to be part of MIT’s Solve Challenge and look forward to working with the winners to help create solutions for those most in need.  

The panel included Rod Griffin: Senior Director, Consumer Education and Advocacy, Experian; Beverly Harzog: Credit Card Expert and Consumer Finance Analyst for U.S. News; Paulina Likos: Investing Reporter at U.S. News; Alicia R. Hudnett Reiss: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™; Alexandria White: Credit Cards Reporter at CNBC Select; Molly Ford-Coates: Founder, Ford Financial Management; Patrina Dixon: Certified Financial Educator; and Take Charge America. Questions We Discussed: Q1: If your community is reopening, what are some precautions to take in public settings to stay safe and still have fun this summer? Q2: What are some low-cost outdoor activities you can still do this summer while practicing social distancing? Q3: What can you do to help you and your family stay physically active and healthy this summer? Q4: What are some strategies for cooling off on hot summer days without breaking the bank? Q5: What are some tips to unplug from technology this summer? Q6: What are some tips for staying safe and social distancing on a road trip this summer? Q7: What are some fun things to do inside when it’s too hot outside? Q8: What are some ways to make the most out of working from home this summer? Q9: What are some money lessons to teach kids this summer? Q10: Any last-minute frugal tips for a safe and fun summer this year? Retweet these insights from our community: A1. Stay out of large crowds, maintain at least 6 feet of distance, and wear a mask (try to avoid touching/adjusting it). Use hand sanitizer right after any direct contact with others if you can’t get someplace to wash your hands. #creditchat — Take Charge America (@TCAsolutions) July 8, 2020 A2: Kayaking! Riding bikes. Surfing. Paddle boarding. Taking a walk on the beach or around a park (just be sure to wear a mask if it's crowded). #creditchat — Ashley Jacobs (@collegecents) July 8, 2020 A3: We set aside time every day to do exercise together. Whether that's going on a bike ride, walk, cardio, yoga stretching, playing basketball or running. And we try to maintain a healthy diet too. Although summer treats are the best! 😁 #creditchat — Kembala Evans (@Kembala) July 8, 2020 A4: Make a cold treat during those hot summer days 😎Sometimes, it can be dangerous to be outside if the heat is overbearing. This can be tough for young kids or older adults. Use your discretion! #CreditChat — Paulina Likos (@Paulina_Likos) July 8, 2020 A5: Try to avoid checking social media apps frequently. You can easily fall down the rabbit hole! Every time you want to check your phone, try going for a short walk around your home. #CreditChat https://t.co/7cLPbaATMc — Alexandria White (@awhite_credit) July 8, 2020 A6: Take day trips instead of overnight travel. Still get out, but minimize risk of exposure. #creditchat — Rod Griffin (@Rod_Griffin) July 8, 2020 A7: When it’s too hot during the day, take a night stroll when the sun goes down and try star gazing. 💫💫💫 This can be a fun activity for both young kids and adults. #creditchat — Paulina Likos (@Paulina_Likos) July 8, 2020 A8. Take advantage of long summer days by starting and ending your day earlier (if it’s OK w/your boss) so you have more time in the evenings to be with the family or focus on self-care. #creditchat — Take Charge America (@TCAsolutions) July 8, 2020 A9. For many, money might still be tight due to job loss or reduced hours as a result of the pandemic. If that's the case, and you are re-doing the family budget as a result, include your children in the discussion. #CreditChat — Jennifer White (@Jennifer_Wwhite) July 8, 2020 A10 Keep it simple, no need to push for a big summer vacation this year. Stay safe and healthy first and foremost! #CreditChat — Jennifer (@SeattleEine) July 8, 2020

At Experian, we’re dedicated to innovation and the COVID-19 pandemic has been an impetus for further innovation. Our driving force of successful innovation is our employees. We foster a culture of continuous innovation, from the way we work to the solutions we create.   Global Hackathon  As part of our effort to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, we’re launching Experian’s first-ever Global Hackathon. Taking place between June 1 and 5, we’ve invited all our employees to get involved and connect, share knowledge and find new ways to help our clients and consumers on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.    Mitigating COVID-19 Crisis Through Our Innovations  In addition to the Global Hackathon, we’ve committed vast resources to develop innovative technologies and new sources of data and analytics to drive solutions that help people, businesses and society at large.   For example, to aid in the United States re-opening efforts, Experian has made available a free interactive U.S. map showing populations at-risk of being most susceptible to developing severe cases of COVID-19. The Experian COVID-19 Outlook and Response Evaluator (CORE) tool is intended to help guide healthcare organizations and government agencies as they plan for COVID-19 recovery in the months ahead. The map leverages de-identified data such as pre-existing conditions and social determinants of health to form a comprehensive picture that predicts possible pandemic impact on communities.   To help essential organizations during the pandemic, Experian also created At-Risk Audiences, which leverage our data assets to identify groups of individuals that are most likely to be impacted. These new privacy-compliant segments, offered free of charge, are designed to help these organizations find and communicate with at-risk populations, enabling them to deliver essential services as quickly as possible.  In the UK, we’re working side-by-side with the government. As part of this, we’re building models to help predict how this disease will spread in local populations and predict the effectiveness of various treatment therapies.      In Brazil, we’ve organized a coalition of universities, data companies and technology leaders to launch  Covid Radar with the purpose of working together to minimize the impacts generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and contribute to the recovery of Brazil’s economy. The Covid Radar integrates companies to the hospitals and communities that need donations of ventilators, personal protection equipment, or other supplies.  In addition to providing case monitoring and disease forecasting.   The COVID-19 crisis has forced innovation and change on a scale and pace we wouldn’t normally see. We remain relentlessly focused on helping vulnerable communities, strengthening the resilience of businesses, and playing an important role in helping consumers and the world economy get back to strength. As part of our global innovation program, we’re hosting a global hackathon to help our employees create new ways to help our clients and consumers on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  As one of the world’s most innovative companies, we’re doing everything at Experian we can to provide our unique insights back to key stakeholders so they can prioritize help those who need it most urgently.     

Small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy, generating 44% of the nation’s overall revenue. When they take a hit, we all feel it. But as good neighbors – and frequent patrons – we can find a path toward keeping these small businesses on their feet and reopening their doors as soon as possible.    At Experian, our obligation is to fight for small businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19. Main Street America reported in April that “COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on small businesses’ revenue…Approximately 35.7 million Americans employed by small businesses are at risk of unemployment as result of the COVID-19 crisis.”   That is why we moved quickly to support the signing of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), providing relief to Americans through expanded unemployment coverage and by distributing grants and loans to small businesses.   Acknowledging the unprecedented financial difficulties many are facing, lenders have established relief options for customers unable to make scheduled payments. In an effort to safeguard consumers against potential delinquency and protect credit, the CARES Act calls for creditors to adjust reporting systems for those taking advantage of these relief options.   Simply put, your small business’s credit score shouldn’t be your biggest concern these days, and the CARES Act works to ensure that.    We know there’s more work to be done to help small businesses navigate these challenging times. We’ve outlined the following steps to keep your business’s credit on track during the pandemic, taking advantage of resources and services we recently launched:  Call Your Lender: If a customer or small business is unable to pay a bill, the most critical action they can take is to call their lender and inquire about available assistance programs. If consumers are able to get an accommodation, they can stop a missed payment from negatively impacting their credit.  Business Resources Website: Experian has launched a website to help businesses prepare to manage increased attacks, push toward digital banking and understand regulatory changes as businesses find their footing in this evolving financial services landscape.     Credit Report Access for All: Experian is offering all consumers access to a free credit report, FICO score and credit monitoring through our CreditWorks product, which also provides access to Experian Boost, a financial tool that has helped more than 2 million consumers increase their credit score to date. This is in addition to the free weekly credit score we are offering in coordination with our peers through annualcrediteport.com.   COVID-19 U.S. Business Risk Index: Experian has launched a new service to help lenders and government organizations understand how to make lending options available to the business segments that need it most. This, in turn, directly helps small businesses gain access to capital they need. The public tool includes a risk simulator broken down by state to keep business owners updated on how COVID-19 is affecting specific industries in a particular region.  As a nation, we have learned many lessons from the 2008 financial crisis. One vital lesson that sticks with us at Experian is that we’re better at tackling challenges as a collective financial industry, with transparency and a lending hand. At Experian, we’re committed to helping small businesses land back on their feet, and we’ll be there when the backbone of our economy needs additional support down the road.   

Listen or download the podcast: Every week, we talk about important data and analytics topics with data science leaders from around the world on Facebook Live. You can subscribe to the DataTalk podcast on iTunes,  Google Play, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and Spotify. DataTalk features data science leaders at MIT, Caltech, United Nations, Gartner, Twitter, Salesforce, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, Google, Spotify, Dow Jones and dozens of other universities, startups and top data companies. In this week’s #DataTalk, we chat with Dr. Marcello Ienca about his article on the responsible use of digital data to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss: Technology for Data Collection to Combat COVID-19 Data Ethics During COVID-19: Privacy Rights vs. Public Health How Taiwan Used Big Data & AI to Contain COVID-19 Digital Inequity & Technology Gap During the Pandemic Responsible Use of Data & AI to Combat COVID-19 About Dr. Marcello Ienca Dr. Marcello Ienca is a senior researcher at the Health Ethics & Policy Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He is the PI of the projects "Neurotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights", "Digitalizing Elderly Care", and "Personalized and Preventative Care". He is also involved in projects on AI ethics, big data in health research, and data protection in personalized health. His research focuses on the ethics and governance of biomedical data, ethically aligned artificial intelligence (AI) and responsible innovation for emerging technologies at the human-​machine interface. Prior to joining ETH, Dr. Ienca has obtained MSc, MA and PhD degrees from the Humboldt University of Berlin, KU Leuven (Erasmus Mundus Consortium) and the University of Basel. He has published extensively on the ELSI of neurotechnology and AI, big data trends in biomedicine, ethical design in robotics, data ethics, human rights, dual-​use, digital health and cognitive assistance for people with intellectual disabilities. Ienca has received several awards for social responsibility in science and technology such as the Vontobel Award for Ageing Research, the Prize Pato de Carvalho (Portugal), the Sonia Lupien Award (Canada) and the Paul Schotsmans Prize from the European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME). He has authored one monograph, one edited volume, +40 scientific articles in peer-​review journals, several book chapters and is a frequent contributor to Scientific American. His research was featured in academic journals such as Neuron, Nature Biotechnology, the American Journal of Bioethics and media outlets such as Nature, The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Times, Die Welt, The Independent, the Financial Times and others. He is a former representative to the board of directors of the International Neuroethics Society, an expert member of the OECD Steering Group on Neurotechnology, a Swiss delegate to the same OECD group, and an expert advisor to the Council of Europe's Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence. Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Listen or download the podcast: Every week, we talk about important data and analytics topics with data science leaders from around the world on Facebook Live.  You can subscribe to the DataTalk podcast on a iTunes,  Google Play, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and Spotify. DataTalk features data science leaders at MIT, Caltech, United Nations, Gartner, Twitter, Salesforce, Amazon, UBER, IBM, LinkedIn, Spotify, Dow Jones and dozens of other startups and top data companies. In this week’s #DataTalk, we chat with Eric Haller, Global Head of Experian DataLabs, about innovation during covid-19 pandemic. We also discuss: Leading Data Science Teams During COVID-19 Ways Experian is Using Data Science to Track & Understand COVID-19 Innovative Data Models to Help Small Businesses During COVID-19 Using Data Science to Help People & Organizations Hurting from COVID-19 Soft Skills Needed to Succeed as a Data Scientist How to Get an Internship at Experian DataLabs Advice for Grads Applying for Data Science Roles During the Pandemic Eric Haller Eric Haller is Executive Vice President and Global Head of Experian DataLabs, which develops innovative products generated from breakthrough experimentation that leverages artificial intelligence and data assets. Experian DataLabs helps businesses solve strategic marketing and risk-management problems through an advanced data analysis process and research and development. Focused on innovating new data sources with an emphasis on financial services, telecommunications and healthcare, DataLabs helps deliver: Increased profitability Optimization of data assets Controlled financial risk Regulatory compliance Experian DataLabs is staffed with a multidisciplinary group of data scientists with Ph.D.s and applied research practitioners with expertise in advanced analytics and machine learning, as well as other advanced statistical methods. Experts in applying cutting-edge data science to real-world business situations, DataLabs utilizes Experian’s vast data assets and is supported by Experian's global network and resources. Employing deep domain expertise and industry knowledge reduces client exposure during the development process. DataLabs operates in a compliant, safe and secure environment for both internal and collaborative research to take place. Nearly a petabyte of data storage is provisioned by Experian in the United States to support research and development activities. The environment allows for multiple Big Data projects to occur simultaneously. Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter Check out our data science podcast and video series DataTalk is hosted by Mike Delgado, Director of Social Media at Experian. Please reach out if you have suggestions for topics or guests.