Data xChange points way to better healthcare solutions

Dr. Ron Tanimura said The L.A. Trust’s Data xChange would drive new healthcare strategies to better serve students and communities. 

Technologies like telehealth and initiatives like The L.A. Trust Data xChange are key to better student health outcomes, according to speakers at the online Wellness Network Learning Collaborative on May 7, 2020. Dr. Ron Tanimura, director of student health services at LAUSD, and Sang Leng Trieu, wellness program manager for The L.A. Trust, gave an update on The L.A. Trust Data xChange, which compiles and compares detailed Wellness Center patient data. They spoke to more than 100 representatives from LAUSD and the District’s Wellness Centers. 

Pia V. Escudero, executive director of LAUSD Student Health and Human Services and a member of the executive committee of The L.A. Trust, noted that the clinic network was founded almost 15 years ago “to reduce health disparities impacting the lifespans of our children in families.” She said “there’s still a lot of work to do,” and insights like the Data xChange are key to finding effective solutions. 

“The data is so wonderful,” Escudero said. “It gives us a good baseline to start having future conversations and doing some hypothesis working and strategic planning in this transformational time that we’re living in.” 

Tanimura said data was critical. “We have to look at every one of our divisions and departments and integrate and (utilize) some of the resources we have outside, mainly The L.A. Trust. I thank you for the work you are doing, especially on Data xChange.” 

He added, “The more data we get the better. When we look at the Data xChange, this is a thousand times better than just encounter data. We look forward to integrating all the data – dental, mental health, attendance and other academic data. Imagine what we will be able to do for our kids and their communities.”  

Current reports include such measures as unique patient visits, type of patient encounters, co-morbid conditions, demographics and student vs. community visits. The database also tracks services provided and benchmarks on key performance standards, including risk assessments, well-child exams, BMI screening, chlamydia tests and depression screening. 

The L.A. Trust distributed report cards with clinical metrics to each clinic in February and will add new datasets on mental and oral health later this year, expanding the database insights.