Putting better information into more hands is at the center of what we do. Public servants, community groups, cities and citizens...we've worked for years to help break down information barriers for changemakers across the country.
Together with Blue Shield of California, our latest project just broke barriers for every person in California--giving them access to community health like never before.
Last week, Blue Shield of California announced the "Neighborhood Health Dashboard" Generator, an "online tool that will advance public health services, and increase transparency around community health and help address health disparities in California," as detailed in the full release posted to its News Center.
"The Neighborhood Health Dashboard uses data intelligence from dozens of sources to create a comprehensive picture of a community’s health," the announcement continues, "including: health outcomes, preventative health care, utilization and access, health behaviors, social risk factors, and environment and economic health conditions."
It's online, mobile friendly, ADA accessible, and free to the public.
Link: Request a California Neighborhood Health Dashboard
"A user can simply enter an address or zip code to generate an interactive, Web-based dashboard that is customized to a zip code level with a unique URL that can be shared with others. The tool includes nearly 100 data indicators that capture a holistic view of a community’s health to help inform advocacy and action for improvement," the announcement reads.
A Tool Built for Change
Designed for prioritized and inclusive data indicators, audiences include "community organizations, health advocates, hospitals, physicians, public health officials and policymakers to better understand the health of their neighborhoods and address the needs within their communities."
The Neighborhood Health Dashboards give access to granular information based on zip codes, opening access to improvement strategies.
“Community health needs assessments are important tools in helping to align disparate organizations in a common strategy to improve the health of the community and address health disparities,” said Peter Long, senior vice president of Healthcare and Community Health Transformation at Blue Shield of California. “By making the data publicly available, anyone can gain a deeper understanding of the unmet social needs in their community and serve the population with increased knowledge about issues that have an impact on people’s health and wellbeing.”
To create a scalable and useful tool for these audiences, mySidewalk's data platform was "initially made available to Blue Shield’s Community Health Advocates," as shown in the video below.
Generate Your Own Dashboard
Accessing the tool is simple. To request a Neighborhood Health Dashboard:
- Open the tool and scroll to the map.
- Search with an address, zip code, or scroll to a location within California.
- Select a primary zip code, and up to 2 comparison zip codes.
- Enter your name.
- Receive your dashboard!
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Equipping an entire state with critical local information has been a fulfilling journey for the team at mySidewalk, and we're thankful to partner with people who really seek to innovate to enable change.
“We are proud to work with Blue Shield of California to provide this opportunity to democratize data and align our vision for improving community health across the state,” said Sarah Martin, vice president of Health Solutions for mySidewalk. “Our mission is to empower city leaders and the public with the most complete, clear and real-time understanding of their communities so they can improve and innovate together.”
This announcement first appeared on the Blue Shield of California News Center.
To learn more about the Neighborhood Health Dashboard Generator and Blue Shield of California's Health Reimagined work, visit healthreimagined.blueshieldca.com.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with over four million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 to have an impact on California communities.
About mySidewalk
mySidewalk is a technology company on a mission to democratize data. mySidewalk equips community change-makers with tools to help them advance equitable programs and policies. With an extensive data library and mobile-friendly, ADA-accessible publishing platform, mySidewalk creates place-based analytics built on data, design, and expertise. mySidewalk works with hundreds of public, private, and nonprofit clients across the country to break down barriers to knowledge, and inspire change.
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