Leveraging health informatics to foster a smart systems response to health disparities and health equity challenges

Abstract

Informaticians are challenged to design health information technology (IT) solutions for complex problems, such as health disparities, but are achieving mixed results in demonstrating a direct impact on health outcomes. This presentation of collective intelligence and the corresponding terms of smart health, knowledge ecosystem, enhanced health disparities informatics capacities, knowledge exchange, big-data, and situational awareness are a means of demonstrating the complex challenges informatics professionals face in trying to model, measure, and manage an intelligent and smart systems response to health disparities. A critical piece in our understanding of collective intelligence for public and population health rests in our understanding of public and population health as a living and evolving network of individuals, organizations, and resources. This discussion represents a step in advancing the conversation of what a smart response to health disparities should represent and how informatics can drive the design of intelligent systems to assist in eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity.

A case study of the 1115 waiver using population health informatics to address disparities

“…23 These activities can enhance our efforts to model, measure, and manage systems to improve health equity. 24 We found that a targeted informatics-enabled approach to health equity included patient entered demographic data, culturally inclusive standard work, measurement of health disparities, development of community partnerships, outreach to populations with care gaps by teams trained in cultural competency, and progress supported in celebration by the executive leadership.…”

A content analysis of the views of genetics professionals on race, ancestry, and genetics

“…Furthermore, as healthcare moves towards learning healthcare systems (LHS), complexities of race, ancestry, and genetics will likely intensify (Carney and Kong 2017; D’Alessandro, O’Neil, and LaGatta 2017). LHS mark a dissolving boundary between biomedical research and clinical care.…”

Promoting Optimal Sexual and Reproductive Health with Mobile Health Tools for Black Women: Combining Technology, Culture and Context

“…Health informatics can enable researchers to detect health disparities that may have otherwise been overlooked, while providing a more comprehensive understanding of the variables contributing to certain health outcomes within marginalized populations 11,12 . Prior work has demonstrated the importance of health informatics research in addressing health equity broadly through assessing complex issues within health care delivery systems, 11 and such research can support opportunities for reducing health disparities and promoting health equity.…”