Bridging Health Information Gaps: Putting Data into the Hands of Users

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Bridging Health Information Gaps Putting Data
into theHands of Users

• Lou Saadi, Ph.D.
• Kansas Center for Health and Environmental
  Statistics
• NAPHSIS Annual Meeting
• June 9-12, 2003
• New York City

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Public Health Data in the past

• Found in state health departments in disparate
  datasets
• Simple data requests required special computer
  runs and requests made to analysts
• Data extraction tools required significant
  training for staff

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Internet Query Systems help with the simpler data
requests needed by the public, grant writers,
administrators, etc.
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Kansas Information for Communities

• Patterned after Missouri
• Useful for a variety of datasets
• Easy to create and maintain
• Responds to simple, most frequently requested
  queries quickly

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Current KIC Programs

• Births
• County
• Map
• Death
• County
• ZIP
• Map

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Current KIC Programs

• Population
• County Table
• Pregnancy
• County Table
• Hospital Discharge
• Reportable Disease

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Future KIC Programs

• Cancer Incidence
• County Table
• Bi-State Missouri - Kansas
• Birth
• Death
• Linked program data where appropriate
• WIC/Birth Certificate/Medicaid profiles

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Recently Added Features

• Deaths
• Current to 2001
• Uses ICD 10 modified 113 groups
• ZIP Code level
• Births
• Key Indicators
• Hospital Discharge
• Clinical Classification Group

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Implementation Challenges

• IT Department-- Your IT department may have its
  own ideas about how systems should be
  developedor not.
• Software operating system expertise can be
  limited
• Risk-taking is not a usual trait for your
  stereotypic IT department
• Kansas was not allowed to use LINUX but had to
  port the system into Windows NT
• GET YOUR OWN PROGRAMMER ANALYST

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Implementation Challenges

• Getting data in shape for inclusion
• Developing the SAS programs to structure the
  data for the system
• Address differences in coding structures in
  disparate datasets
• Retaining expertise for ongoing changes to the
  system

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Implementation challenges

• Negotiating with other programs to acquire data
• Turf battles can be prohibitive
• Competing interests
• How do you choose what is included?

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Implementation Challenges

• Training Users--You cant just put up a system
  and expect them to come.
• Promotion of the system, its capacities and what
  the output will be is critical. You may have to
  send someone on the road to teach users.
• Education in basic public health statistics will
  also need to be factored in.

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• Youll need commitment to your system and
  centralization of data from your leadership.

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OpportunitiesOften the Same as Challenges

• Use the tool to help educate the public about
  health statistics
• People can see the system demonstration and be
  instructed on how the statistics were calculated
  rather than listening to a talking head
• Educate users about the importance of
  standardized data

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Opportunities

• Centralize data dissemination activities within
  the department
• Saves money by minimizing printing costs
• Forces program staff to consider data needs when
  managing/implementing programs.

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Links and Notes

• KIC is http//kic.kdhe.state.ks.us/kic
• Online Guide available

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