The Health Geographics Program is uniquely organized and uniquely qualified to provide internationally-recognized content expertise in GIS initiatives in the arena of hospital and healthcare—either as a not-for-profit or a for-profit collaborator, consultant or partner. Contact Jane Garb or Chris Boyd for more information.
Selected Projects
Spatial Analysis of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgical Outcomes Using GIS Technology
Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgy (TEM) is a technically challenging minimally invasive procedure requiring parallel positioning of instruments within a 4 cm diameter, 20 cm long operating rectoscope. GIS was used to create a model of rectal anatomy and integrated with patient clinical data on rectal pathology and treatment outcomes. The goal was to associate clinical outcomes with location using positional data determined from patients. GIS was used to visualize and analyze the data in 2D and 3D based on a cylindrical coordinate system and topology. Results showed that lesions in certain locations of the rectum were more problematic to remove. indicating that relating rectal lesions to rectal topology may be important in determining the limitations of TEM. (See "Using GIS for spacial analysis of rectal lesions in the human body" published in International Journal of Health Geographics.)
Integrated Dynamic Mapping Extension for Medical Crisis Information Management System
Health Geographics Program, through its for-profit offshoot, Baystate Geographics, has partnered with a commercial partner to develop an integrated dynamic mapping extension for their medical crisis information management system. The mapping extension was completed in November 2006 and is being marketed to national/federal, military, state, regional and organizational customers
Estimating Populations at Risk for Disaster Preparedness and Response
Boundaries of areas affected by disasters such as, drainage sub-basins, electrical distribution grids, neighborhoods, police sectors, or the footprint of a plume of toxic gas released in a natural or man-made (bioterrorist) disaster, do not usually coincide with those for census collection units. HGP evaluated sources of population data and several methods of areal interpolation to estimate affected populations, and developed a practical approach for converting this data into geographic units appropriate for disaster preparedness and response. The technique allows quick, easy and accurate estimations of affected populations in the event of a sudden attack, and can be easily recalculated if the hazard changes, or to compare “what-if” scenarios. This project has direct applicability not only to homeland security but also other community health initiatives that use non-standard geographical units. (See Estimating populations at risk for disaster preparedness and response published in Journal of Homeland Security & Emergency Management.)
The Baystate Reference Laboratories Logistics System
To create a route optimization, tracking and management system that supports seven GPS-equipped courier vehicles and drivers who provide health services (oxygen, durable medical equipment, pharmaceuticals) to 400-500 homebound patients on 20 routes per week, a custom application was developed that utilizes data from a complex DOS-based legacy database system and links it to commercial off-the-shelf software. Legacy data are conditioned and organized into daily route lists and the lists are optimized with ArcLogistics Route. Paper route sheets are replaced with a digital application on the courier PDAs, and courier vehicles can be tracked in real-time by dispatch and management from their desktop computers using GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) technology. The new system was developed to improve customer service and reduce transportation costs by making routes more efficient, to more effectively utilize Couriers for Stat and Per Calls, and to consolidate Dispatch, Courier Operations, Vehicle Maintenance and Supply Inventory functions in a new Dispatch Operations Center.
Connecticut River Valley Regional GeoDatabase
The Health Geographics Program is currently creating the Connecticut River Valley Regional GeoDatabase to provide basemap support for regional (western MA/northern CT) emergency preparedness, planning, response, recovery, and hazard vulnerability assessment. A later phase of this initiative will be development of custom applications for situational awareness, incident management, and decision support. The Health Geographics Program is working with the Hartford Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee and has utilized the draft GeoDatabase. ”Hospital-land” Preparedness – HGP participated in a major disaster exercise in the Hartford region by providing situational awareness in a map context.
American Community Survey Case Studies
The Health Geographics program was contracted by the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct two case studies to demonstrate the utility of the American Community Survey (an ongoing detailed demographic survey to derive updated current population estimates) in solving community problems. They developed a method utilizing community, health, and census data in a GIS. Their approach can be used improve the design of intervention and prevention programs for a multitude of health-related outcomes at different geographic scales to direct resource allocation to areas where they are needed most.
Late Stage Breast Cancer
GIS was used to link data on individual case location and stage of disease at diagnosis from two hospital registries with data from the American Community Survey. The focus of the project was the identification of social and economic factors in the geographic distribution of late stage breast cancer and location of high-risk populations using spatial analysis. Results will support improvement in the design of more “culturally appropriate” educational screening intervention programs and direct resource allocation.
Youth Violence
A police-hospital collaboration was formed to better understand youth violence in Springfield. Police data on violent incidents involving youths were combined with spatial and socio-demographic data from the American Community Survey in a GIS. Hypotheses about risk factors for youth violence, descriptions of the geographic distribution of incidents and identification of police sectors at increased risk of youth violence were generated using GIS methods such as visualization and buffering. Using spatial analytic methods, characteristics of the incident and home locations that put youths at greater risk for violence were discovered
Geographic Clustering of Methicillin-resistant Pediatric Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Soft-tissue Infections
The purpose of this study was to determine if geography is a risk factor for community- acquired MRSA. A cluster of MRSA infectious was identified in one section of Springfield. Results of this analysis can be used to prospectively identify potential MRSA infections before culture results are available.
Obesity and the Built Environment
This study is designed to determine the effects of the built environment on childhood and adolescent obesity in Springfield Massachusetts, which has extremely high rates of childhood obesity.
Using spatial regression and cluster analysis to assess for clusters and predictors of obesity, the research team has found that, at the block group level, statistically significant positive relationships exist between obesity and:
This study will provide hypothesis-generating information for public health and school officials to address this emerging health crisis.
