12/21/12 The Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana Hospital Association and Indiana Business Research Center today unveiled a website designed to help hospitals, local health departments, non-profit organizations and the public access health-related data at the state and county level. IndianaINdicators.org provides the most current Indiana health information based on more than 90 key indicators including community health, the economy, education, environment and public safety.

“The INdicators website is an example of how pockets of information can be put together in a meaningful way to see a bigger picture,” said State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin, M.D. “The site will help us to better understand trends and to evaluate public health interventions as we track the information collected over time. Our hope is that it will be especially useful to public health entities as we move toward accreditation in Indiana.”

Nonprofit hospitals are required to carry out community health needs assessments and community health improvement plans to meet their community benefit requirements, as are local health departments applying for public health accreditation. The data and information on IndianaINdicators.org can be used to help perform and guide these efforts.

“Improving public health is the joint commitment of every Indiana hospital, the state and community leaders,” said Doug Leonard, Indiana Hospital Association president. “The new website is one more resource for health care leaders and the public to work together to make positive improvements in the health care delivery system.”

Features include:

  • Comparisons of statewide and local indicator values to state and national health goals
  • Relevant state plans, community health needs assessment and community health improvement plan guidance
  • Mapping features for viewing data at the county, township and school district levels
  • Demographic profiles for viewing data at the county, metro and health preparedness district levels
  • Promising practices from across the nation that communities can implement based on health needs assessments

“The Indiana INdicators website offers a wide array of tools and data to help users understand their community’s performance and progress toward being a healthy place to live and work,” said Dr. Jerry Conover, director of the Indiana Business Research Center.

To learn more, visit the Indiana INdicators website at www.IndianaINdicators.org.