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In Alameda County, A Big Data Effort To Prevent Frequent ER Visits

Jenny Gold

June 22, 2016 |

Kaiser Health News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

ER staff often have no idea they are sharing patients with other hospitals just a mile away. So they treat those patients completely independently, often repeating tests unnecessarily, assigning them multiple case managers when only one is needed and offering contradictory advice. In Alameda County, hospitals are now sharing patient records of “super-users” to save money and avoid duplicating medical treatment.

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How Science Could Help Prevent Police Shootings

Jaeah Lee

May 31, 2016 |

Mother Jones |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

A new tool that studies human behavioral data is being piloted in an effort to prevent police abuse and violence. Using data kept by individual police departments, this new program studies officers’ history of past problems, amount of on-the-job stress and trauma, and shift times as possible predictors of violence and abuse. While the research is still in early stages, it has already led to changes in some police departments, like re-thinking how to better equip officers to deal with emotional incidents like domestic violence.

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Our drinking water systems are a disaster. What can we do?

Erica Gies

April 11, 2016 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The water system in the United States is beginning to be in need of replacement. In order to facilitate this infrastructure project and prevent it from becoming overwhelming, technology such as water sensors and software are being used to monitor water usage and replace the pipes that are most dire as they degrade.

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In Pursuit of Big Data, Mexico City Mapathon Gamifies Crowdsourcing

Zoe Mendelson

February 25, 2016 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Mexico City

By “gamifying” the process, urban planners can crowdsource data collection. In Mexico City, members of 14 organizations—ranging from government agencies to nonprofits and consultants—launched a city-wide game, Mapatón CDMX, in an effort to collect data and map the complex transportation system. To participate, users downloaded an app and mapped transit routes for points.

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Estonia: Digital Society

Fi Glover Henrietta Moore Martha Lane Fox

February 03, 2016 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Estonia

Government services are easily accessible in Estonia in part because everything is online. A digital signature carries the same weight as a physical signature, and data is shared between offices allowing forms such as tax returns to be pre-filled for citizens. The country leapfrogged the rest of the world, investing in digital literacy and infrastructure in an effort to serve its small, spread-out population.

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Reducing blight is possible, experts say

Lex Talamo

November 29, 2015 |

The Shreveport Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport, Louisiana, faces blight. New Orleans decreased blight by 30 percent by creating an authority for the task, using technology to collect data, and providing residents with information and help.

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Higher Ed's Moneyball?

Eric Westervelt

October 14, 2015 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Orlando, Florida

A Florida community college is boosting learning and graduation rates with new technology that gets professors access to real-time data on student engagement and performance.

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How L.A. Gets Kids to Show Up at School

Mary B. Pasciak

September 27, 2015 |

The Buffalo News |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Schools in Los Angeles have strict consequences for truancy and tardiness but offer rewards and recognition for good attendance. Administrators use iPhones to record the ID numbers of tardy students, tracking them in order to engage the appropriate intervention.

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Annoyed by Robocalls? This One Can Save Lives

M. Sophia Newman

July 01, 2015 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Non-profit organization Reliefwatch is addressing supply chain breakdowns for developing world health clinics by sending them robocalls asking about procurement needs. The information updates a database in real time, allowing suppliers to get the drugs in the hands of the clinics in need and avoiding expiration of excess stock. “The whole idea in terms of the system is that the data goes up into a cloud system that can then be accessed by a manager, the supplier, whoever is relevant,” Yu says.

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At Cedars-Sinai, technology spurs improved, lower cost care

Rebecca Plevin

May 13, 2015 |

Southern California Public Radio (KPCC) |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

One challenge of the United States’ health care system involves keeping costs down while simultaneously improving the level of quality care. Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles has adopted electronic medical records in accordance with the Choosing Wisely campaign, which offers guidelines on different tests and treatments to reduce wasteful or harmful ones for patients. The electronic medical records have helped doctors by alerting which prescriptions to avoid, and have overall reduced health care costs by $4 million.

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