Karen Comer, Director of Collaborative Research and Health Geoinformatics, is an invited co-presenter at the June 29 Indiana Health Workforce Summit Conference. She will help discuss Indiana’s health workforce data visualization initiatives with which the Polis Center is partnering with the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research & Policy and the IU School of Medicine Department of Biostatistics. The conference is hosted by the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research & Policy and sponsored by the Indiana Area Health Education Centers Network.
“Because access to data is critical for effective evidence-based decision-making, we have made it a top priority to develop a data strategy that will enhance our capacity to visualize and analyze data from a variety of disparate sources — all toward improving access to health care in Indiana,” said Connor Norwood, Associate Director, Bowen Center. “Biostats is building a centralized data repository and associated data management solution to meet our data needs, while The Polis Center is assisting us in adding value to our data platform by facilitating spatial data visualization and analysis. This includes the development of a new process for ArcGIS map creation that will streamline map production so we can routinely produce consistent, professional quality maps for regular reports and ad hoc maps to meet stakeholder requests. “
The Polis Center is designing ArcGIS mapping templates and developing associated protocols on mapping workforce data. In addition, The Polis Center will train Bowen staff on using these recommended protocols and templates, and teach staff how to modify the provided templates to support ad hoc map development that fit the established Bowen map design and layout. (An example of one of the mapping templates is shown.)
Bowen is also interested in establishing online workforce data visualization tools and is exploring online mapping options with The Polis Center. To this end, The Polis Center is developing a data visualization demonstration that will illustrate available options, advantages, and limitations and help to elicit associated requirements from Bowen’s stakeholders. Potential solutions may include a dashboard that includes “drilldown tools” to allow stakeholders to explore data in more detail than possible via current static reports and create and download maps directly from the tool to meet ad hoc mapping needs. This envisioning phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of July.