Recorded presentation

J. Scott Christman, California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, 818 K Street, Room 300, Sacramento, CA 95814, 916-323-1414, schristm@oshpd.state.ca.us and Konder Chung, Healthcare Workforce and Community Development Division, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, 1600 9th Street, Room 441, Sacramento, CA 95814.

In February 2003, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) applied Geographical Information System (GIS) technology to the 2000 U.S. Census data for California’s 58 counties. This was completed in order to establish Medical Service Study Areas (MSSAs) that support our ongoing efforts to provide equitable healthcare accessibility for California. OSHPD applied GIS technology to the re-examination of existing MSSA boundaries (geographical) and recalculation of urban and rural communities. There were 75 community meetings with local healthcare stakeholders in which GIS was used in real time to display the changes in socioeconomic/demographic and health provider data based on suggested boundary alterations. Recommended changes to the existing MSSA boundaries were then presented to and adopted by the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission. Previously, the 1990 census data created 5,000 census tracts with a population of approximately 29.7 million people. This resulted in the designation of 487 MSSAs: 213 rural and 274 urban. The manual methodology used at that time required two years to complete the MSSA reconfiguration. In contrast, the 2000 census data created 7,049 census tracts containing approximately 33.8 million people. Utilizing the GIS redistricting tool resulted in 541 MSSAs: 186 rural, 299 urban, and 56 frontier. By applying GIS technology, the time required to complete the MSSA reconfiguration was nine months total. The use of GIS in real time allowed counties throughout California to make instantaneous decisions regarding the allocation of healthcare resources within their communities thereby shortening the reconfiguration process by approximately 15 months.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Define the purpose and use of medical service study areas (MSSAs) in California.
• Analyze the health-status distinctions between communities captured in the 1990 vs. 2000 U.S. Census in California.
• Articulate how the use of geographic information systems has impacted the designation of MSSAs in terms of the speed of analysis and the number of communities impacted.

Keywords: Community Health Planning, Geographic Information Systems

Related Web page: www.oshpd.ca.gov/pcrcd/manpower/policy.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation