Innovate Public Health

Be Prepared

Wed, 18 May 2011 07:24:09 -0700

Be Prepared:

Even the government can get innovative sometimes …

POSTED BY: Adriana

Kopernik technology marketplace

Tue, 03 May 2011 10:47:43 -0700

http://kopernik.info/

POSTED BY: Andrea

On Friday’s PBS News Hour, David Brooks mentioned some statistics about how much people pay...

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:37:52 -0700

On Friday’s PBS News Hour, David Brooks mentioned some statistics about how much people pay into Medicare versus how much they receive in medical benefits. The numbers were so different that I found them hard to believe, so I looked around a bit online.

Here is an article quoting similar statistics:

http://www.theledger.com/article/20101231/NEWS/101239960?tc=ar

“Consider an average-wage, two-earner couple together earning $89,000 a year. Upon retiring in 2011, they would have paid $114,000 in Medicare payroll taxes during their careers. But they can expect to receive medical services — from prescriptions to hospital care — worth $355,000, or about three times what they put in.”

Here is the original data:
http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/social-security-medicare-benefits-over-lifetime.pdf

The data were published by the Urban Institute. According the Wikipedia, the Urban Institute “is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank for nonpartisan economic and social policy research. More specifically, it collects data, evaluates social programs, educates the public on key domestic issues, and provides advice and technical assistance to developing governments abroad. The Urban Institute measures effects, compares options, shows which stakeholders get the most and least, tests conventional wisdom, reveals trends, and makes costs, benefits, and risks explicit. … Some of the Institute’s sponsors include The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.”

POSTED BY: Jeremy

speaking of info design...

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:37:52 -0700

check this out, but turn off the sound (it gets annoying)

http://www.qwiki.com

POSTED BY: Andrea

Analogies, Scaling

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:37:48 -0700

Analogies, Scaling:

How can techniques of scaling (either up or down) be used to convey ideas and concepts in an understandable way?

Here (above, in the subject line) is an interesting little analogy about the federal budget.

Is you haven’t seen Charles and Ray Eames’ Powers of Ten, drop whatever you’re doing and watch it now:

http://vimeo.com/819138

(Apologies for so many posts recently.)

POSTED BY: Adriana

Things you can't do by SMS

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:06:25 -0700

Things you can't do by SMS:

Apparently, you can’t divorce by SMS in Tajikistan. Anymore.

It seems that there are some messages that are beyond the acceptable limits of particular media.

What I wonder: to what extent was it innovative that people were getting divorced by SMS to begin with? What legal standing do SMS messages have? Where is the formal/informal divide?

POSTED BY: Adriana

Simple Steps Reduce Sepsis Deaths

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:06:22 -0700

Simple Steps Reduce Sepsis Deaths:

From yesterday’s Chronicle. The death rates from sepsis have gone down drastically due to a few simple changes in procedures. (Not coincidentally, the article also mentions the no-disruption sashes we read about earlier in the semester.)

POSTED BY: Adriana

Worldwide Trends in the Human Development Index...

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:11:55 -0700

Worldwide Trends in the Human Development Index 1970-2010
http://hdr.undp.org/en/data/trends/

NationMaster, a massive database and a handy way to graphically compare nations.
http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

POSTED BY: Jeremy

Design Thinking for Educators

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:18:56 -0700

Design Thinking for Educators:

file under: case studies, edumacation

Case studies and toolkit for design in education. How does this all translate to public health?

POSTED BY: Adriana

Afrographique

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:18:54 -0700

pertinent to data visualization

http://afrographique.tumblr.com/

POSTED BY: Andrea

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:18:53 -0700

“Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin. Series: UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public [7/2009] “

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

POSTED BY: Alasdair

Allergy Data - US wide - maps and trends

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:16:41 -0700

http://www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp

POSTED BY: Tal

Great CNN commentary summarizing this week's readings

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:16:40 -0700

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/19/sexy.data/

Seems like the key is to engage users— “grab and keep the attention of the viewer” without losing clarity or precision. The authors offer other compelling suggestions to engage users, such as relating to the user personally (“By offering personalized entry points, a visualization turns into a mirror. And we all know people love mirrors!”).

POSTED BY: Mina

LetterMpress for those who want to make a different impact

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:59:05 -0700

LetterMpress for those who want to make a different impact:

LetterMpress may be restricted to iPad users in it first version, but for lovers of hand craft this project is something to follow. By the way Kickstarter seem to be a great way to raise funds for new projects.

POSTED BY: Jan

Just saw this on afro-nets this morning: Claims about the Misuse...

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:59:18 -0700

Just saw this on afro-nets this morning:

Claims about the Misuse of Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets: Are These Evidence-Based?

From PLoS Medicine last week, an essay responding to reports that ITN (insecticide treated nets) are being misused. Key points:

“While it is clear there is room for improving the level of ITN use among those who have them, and that misuse of nets occasionally occurs, we found very little evidence to support claims of widespread misuse across Africa.
We identified only one peer-reviewed study that reported misuse of ITNs; this study was a non-probability survey of seven beaches on Lake Victoria in western Kenya, making the conclusions non-generalizable.”

Is there a way that we can produce evidence - one way or the other - that is based on something other than peer-reviewed studies? If we have to wait for peer-reviewed studies, and if there is a problem of misuse, won’t our response lag 2-3 years?

Photo from DFID’s Flickr: Malaria Prevention, Kenya

POSTED BY: Jaspal

telemaintenance for health

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:26 -0700

http://www.teamqsi.com/

POSTED BY: Tal

FUNDING/CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Available for students with healthcare ideas

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:02:15 -0700

Now accepting applications! Do you have an idea or startup that's working to solve a health-related issue? Apply to join Rock Health, a seed accelerator for interactive health, and become one of the first startups to access an unrivaled community of experts and resources.

Startups receive a $20,000 stipend, office space, mentorship, access to capital and more.  Learn more about joining us at www.rockhealth.com or contact Halle Tecco at 
halle@rockhealth.org

POSTED BY: Devina

Free Health Care Innovation Day event

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:04:54 -0700

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/west-wireless-health-institute-to-host-second-health-care-innovation-day-hci-dc-119840029.html

West Wireless Health Institute will host the Second Health Care Innovation Day in Washington, DC on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Technology & innovation.

POSTED BY: Devina

The New Era Of Interactive Health

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:04:52 -0700

http://blogs.forbes.com/ericsavitz/2011/04/18/the-new-era-of-interactive-health/

POSTED BY: Devina

Innovation in Education

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:48:14 -0700

I just saw “Waiting for Superman” the Davis Guggenheim documentary on education in America. Very well done….heartbreaking, frustrating. Some innovations are happening but it’s the tip of the iceberg. Very good use of story and character.

POSTED BY: Sheila