HealtheConnections Launches HealtheCNY Website to Strengthen Population Health Improvement Efforts in Central New York

HealtheConnections, in collaboration with regional partners, is pleased to announce the launch of a new website to provide access to population health data, evidence based practices, and information about regional health resources and activities. HealtheCNY (pronounced “Healthy CNY”, at www.HealtheCNY.org) will provide health departments, hospitals, and community-based health and human service providers with the resources needed to facilitate regional and community health improvement activities and strengthen collaboration in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego counties.

Using HealtheCNY, organizations can view over 140 health and quality of life data indicators; map and visualize data, and generate tailored data reports; examine zip-code level maps of socio-economic need; browse through a database of over 2,000 evidence based practices and programs; access county specific pages with local data, priorities, health improvement activities, and resources; track progress towards county and regional goals for New York State’s Prevention Agenda, and use a tool for creating a community health needs assessment.

“Our vision for HealtheCNY was to provide Central New York with a vital resource to support population health improvement work in the region. This new site will engage diverse stakeholders, help pinpoint at-risk populations and areas of need, promote the implementation of programs proven to affect change, and provide tools to track and report on results at the community, county, and regional levels,” says Rob Hack, Executive Director of HealtheConnections.

HealtheConnections’ Population Health Improvement team developed HealtheCNY in partnership with Cayuga County Community Health Network, Seven Valleys Health Coalition of Cortland County, Madison County Rural Health Council, Central New York Health Home Inc. of Oneida County, Onondaga County Health Department, and Oswego County Rural Health Network.

HealtheCNY was guided by contributions from the HealtheConnections’ Regional Population Health Improvement Advisory Committee,  which is composed of community leaders from healthcare, behavioral health, public health, and human service providers, higher education institutions, insurers, rural health networks, government agencies, and businesses from across Central New York.

“This much-needed tool has the potential to align health promotion efforts in Central New York. HealtheCNY will help move the needle on the region’s health priorities,” says Tom Dennison, Ph.D., Director, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and a professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HealtheCNY?

HealtheCNY is an easy-to-use website that supports health improvement work in the Central New York region. It contains data, best practices, and resources for use by health departments, hospitals, community-based health and human service providers, and professionals from other sectors, such as education, transportation, and public safety.

What are HealtheCNY’s most important features?

Data: HealtheCNY hosts over 140 health and quality of life data indicators, and allows users to customize maps and reports in order to visualize and analyze data. HealtheCNY features zip-code level maps of socio-economic need to help users pinpoint at-risk populations and address local health disparities.

Best practices: HealtheCNY contains a database of over 2,000 proven practices and programs that can be tailored for program planning, implementation, and evaluation purposes.

Resources: HealtheCNY has a resource collection of over 150 data resources, community resources, reports, plans, internet resources, toolkits, fact sheets, and webinars that were selected based on their relevance for regional health improvement work.

Local focus: HealtheCNY is structured around six Central New York counties (Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego) and their health priorities. County-specific pages display data, priorities, local health improvement activities, resources, and partners. Tracking features within the site show county-level progress towards county and regional goals.

What are some examples of how HealtheCNY can be used?

• Hospitals can use the Community Health Needs Assessment Guide to evaluate the needs of their service area.
• Community-based human service organizations can search for funding opportunities.
• County health departments can connect with local organizations working on similar goals.
• Planning organizations can use the Socio-Needs Index to pinpoint zip codes with high needs.
• Community-based health organizations can use data indicators to plan new programs.

Who created HealtheCNY?

HealtheCNY was created by HealtheConnections and community partners in each of six Central New York counties. A diverse group of community leaders also helped to shape the site via their participation in HealtheConnections’ Regional Population Health Improvement Advisory Committee.

Why was HealtheCNY created?

HealtheCNY was created to strengthen regional population health improvement efforts and promote collaboration, by centralizing and facilitating access to health data, tools, and resources. In doing so, HealtheCNY will fulfill specific needs expressed by health and human service providers across the Central New York region.

 

Who are the intended users of HealtheCNY?

HealtheCNY was designed for use by health departments, hospitals, and community-based health and human service providers. In addition to data, best practices, and resources valuable for people working in these settings, HealtheCNY contains information that professionals from other sectors, educators, students, and community members will find useful.

Who can I contact for questions or comments on HealtheCNY?

For media inquiries: Contact Alicia Schaumberg, Communications and Community Relations Coordinator at HealtheConnections. Email: aschaumberg@healtheconnections.org, Phone: 315-671-2241 ext. 260.

To ask questions, give feedback, share ideas for HealtheCNY, or request training: Contact the HealtheConnections Population Health Improvement team. Email: healthecny@healtheconnections.org, Phone: 315-671-2241 ext. 100.

To get involved in population health improvement work: Contact the HealtheConnections Population Health Improvement team. Email: healthecny@healtheconnections.org, Phone: 315-671-2241 ext. 100.

To connect with a partner in your county: Contact the HealtheConnections Population Health Improvement team. Email: healthecny@healtheconnections.org, Phone: 315-671-2241 ext. 100.