FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Sept. 10, 2019) — The Indiana chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is hosting a public competition intended to uncover new ways to improve health outcomes for Indiana mothers and infants. In support of Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s OB Navigator program, competitors in the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza are challenged to create a data analysis or visualization solution using de-identified datasets on maternal health and infant mortality.

In coordination with Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), Indiana Management Performance Hub (MPH), the Regenstrief Institute and KSM Consulting, the competition culminates October 5 at Parkview Education Center in Fort Wayne, where the top ten finalists will present their solutions before a panel of judges. More than $3,000 will be awarded as cash prizes for first and second-place finishers in student and professional team categories. Participation is open to the general public. Healthcare providers and academic institutions are encouraged to apply.

”Having spent time in Allen County, conducting community engagement events, I know firsthand the passion and preparedness the healthcare system has for saving Indiana babies,” Indiana Health Commissioner Kris Box, MD, FACOG. “The unique insight gained from the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza will benefit the OB Navigator program and I look forward to the event.”

By convening students, researchers, policymakers, health care professionals and entrepreneurs from across the state, the competition is expected to propel the exploration and analysis of Indiana’s data to deliver powerful insights and innovative support for the OB Navigator program. Allen County’s status as a priority county to launch OB Navigator, along with its efforts to improve maternal and infant health, including Parkview’s high number of maternal home visits, makes the community a natural location to host the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza.

“The opportunity to support Governor Holcomb’s goal to achieve the lowest infant mortality rate among Midwestern states by 2024 is compelling,” said Ethel Massing, president of Indiana HIMSS. “We’re excited to convene a diverse group of participants to create data-driven solutions that could improve health outcomes for moms and babies across the state.”

The infant mortality rate is the number of babies who die in the first year of life, per 1,000 live births. Indiana has one of the highest mortality rates in the United States. According to 2017 data, the infant mortality rate in Indiana is 7.3, compared to the national rate of 5.8.

To learn more about the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza, visit http://indiana.himsschapter.org

To join the competition or attend the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza, register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/healthy-mom-baby-datapalooza-registration-68188807559?