POPULATION HEALTH INFORMATION TOOL (PHIT)Public Health Council MeetingMay  9, 2018

Abigail  R. Averbach, MScAssistant Commissioner and Director

Office of Population Health

Jan Sullivan, MSDeputy Director

Bureau of Environmental Health

Halley Reeves, MPH, MCPCommunity Health Planner

Bureau of Community Health and Prevention

VISIONOptimal health and well‐being for all people in 

Massachusetts, supported by a strong public health infrastructure and healthcare delivery.

MISSIONThe mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to prevent illness, injury, and premature death; to ensure access to high quality public health and health care services; and to promote wellness and health 

equity for all people in the Commonwealth.

DISPARITIES

We consistently recognize and strive to eliminate health 

disparities amongst populations in Massachusetts, wherever they may exist.

DETERMINANTSWe focus on the social 

determinants of health ‐ the conditions in which people 

are born, grow, live, work and age, which contribute to 

health inequities.

DATAWe provide relevant, timely access to data for DPH, 

researchers, press and the general public in an effective manner in order to target disparities and impact 

outcomes.

INCLUSIVENESS AND COLLABORATION

EVERYDAY EXCELLENCE 

PASSION AND INNOVATION

Welcome to PHIT

Health Outcome

Sub‐population

Time Period

DownloadableData

GeographicGranularity

Dynamic Reports

Interactive Map

Data Dashboards

Overview

Background

PHIT Demo

Timeline

Questions & Feedback

OUTLINE

Health Behaviors 4%

Source:  Mod

ified

 from

 Network for E

xcellence in Health

 Inno

vatio

n and Co

unty Health

 Ra

nkingsNational Healthcare 

Expenditures*Influence

* Total US Personal Health Care Expenditure 2005

Access to Clinical Care 

88%

Environment 8%

BACKGROUND: SPENDING MISMATCH

Clinical Care 20%

Environment  10%

Socio‐Economic Factors 40%

Health Behaviors 30%

DataCommunity Health Needs Assessments

Hospital

MAAttorney General’s Office

Department of Public Health

DoN’sCommunity 

Health Initiative

CommunityBenefits

Shared communication between AGO and DPH

SYSTEM CORALLING

PHIT

Employment 

Social Environment

BuiltEnvironment

Education

ViolenceHousing

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

Welcome to PHIT

Health Outcome

Sub‐population

Time Period

DownloadableData

GeographicGranularity

DynamicReports

Interactive Map

Data Dashboards

Employment 

Social Environment

BuiltEnvironment

Education

ViolenceHousing

HEALTH INEQUITY PATHWAYS

HEALTH INEQUITY PATHWAYS

Inequitably Poor Health Outcomes

Structural & Historical Inequities

COMMUNITY‐SPECIFIC HEALTH PRIORITY REPORTS

Data

Social Determinants of 

Health

Literature Review 

Strategies

Inequities

DEVELOPED THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH 

TRACKING PORTAL

Reliable Technology

Efficiency

Flexibility

Security

https://matracking.ehs.state.ma.us/ 

PHIT DEMO

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n7ud27xjf9njljq/PHC_Demo_withVoice.mp4?dl=0

Early 2019Expanded Data and Health Priority Reports 

Mid 2019New Data Dashboards

Mid ‐ Late 2019

Role‐Based Access for DPH Staff

Version 2.0

Early 2020Expanded Data and Health 

Priority Reports 

Version 3.0

Mid 2020New Data Dashboards

Spring 2018BetaTest

Version 1.0TIMELINE

November 2018Health Priority 

Reports 

July 2018Core Health 

Outcomes Data 

Spring 2018Beta Test

July 2018Core Health 

Outcomes Data 

November 2018Health Priority 

Reports 

Version 1.0

May 2018Data

Dashboard

September 2018Complete Inclusion of Health Data

2018 TIMELINE

VERSION 1.0 INCLUDED DATA

Injury Surveillance System

Hospitalizations

Infectious Disease

Childhood lead Poisoning*

Tobacco Retailers, Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure

Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data

Vital Statistics: Births* and Deaths

Early Intervention Enrollment Data

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)and BRFSS Small Area Estimates

Immunization School Survey 

Substance Addiction Services

Cancer Registry* Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

School Health: BMI  and Epinephrine  

WIC (Women, Infants and Children)

Birth Defects Data System* 

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Nursing Home: Falls Data 

P H I T

* = Already in MA EPHT

FOLLOW UP: DPH.PHIT@state.ma.us

QUESTIONS / FEEDBACK