GIS Provides Common Ground for Data

The annual Esri User Conference offers a unique opportunity to see how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been deployed to solve complex problems. A central theme so far at this year’s conference is how GIS literally provides a “common ground” upon which disparate data can be brought together – anchored by location/geography. Several interesting healthcare related use-cases were highlighted including: mapping how medical aid was being distributed, mapping accident locations in a city, and lack of cellular coverage.

Relationship Mapping for Medical Aid Distribution

The most interesting use-case was from Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization that with operations in all 50 states and in 80+ countries around the world. Their mission is the improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS Knowledge product, Direct Relief transformed supply-chain spreadsheets that tracked the medications and medical supplies they delivered to local health providers in disaster zones into a “relationship map”. This visual allowed them to better understand how their aid was being used in the local community and identify potential gaps/overlap in aid.

The images above were from the aid Direct Relief delivered in the wake of Hurricane Ida which hit Louisiana in August of 2021.

It’s easy to see how this technology provides unprecedented accountability and transparency into aid relief. Using the maps, donors and governments can easily see what aid was delivered to their communities and how they were distributed to individuals in need. The maps also provide insight into the complex supply chain for relief efforts.

The map below shows how ArcGIS Knowledge was used to identify community health partners in Louisiana that served low access regions who might benefit from an insulin initiative.

Mapping accidents

Although not specifically a healthcare application. The City of New York showcased how it was using Esri’s ArcGIS Velocity product to visualize accident locations, especially those involving city buses. By loading year’s worth of accident reports and overlaying it onto a map of the city, officials were able to identify high-frequency accident locations and the timing of those accidents.

This information not only can help city planners, but it can also be extremely useful to hospital strategists who can better prepare for potential ED visits until the city can improve the intersection.

[Note to self, avoid this intersection in NYC on Saturday afternoons]

Mapping lack of cellular coverage

As more of healthcare is delivered digitally, access to a stable internet connection will become more and more important for patients. Understanding where there is a lack of cellular coverage will be important for local health providers.

One of the plenary presenters showed how cellular “dead zones” tended to occur in areas of low socio-economic standing and on indigenous lands.

If we don’t address this, then we risk exacerbating a health inequity.

More to come on Day 4 and 5 here from the Esri User Conference.

About the author

Colin Hung

Colin Hung is the co-founder of the #hcldr (healthcare leadership) tweetchat one of the most popular and active healthcare social media communities on Twitter. Colin speaks, tweets and blogs regularly about healthcare, technology, marketing and leadership. He is currently an independent marketing consultant working with leading healthIT companies. Colin is a member of #TheWalkingGallery. His Twitter handle is: @Colin_Hung.

   

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