Assistant Professor David Haynes of the University's Institute for Health Informatics is preparing for a late-May pilot stage of his latest brainchild: a new app to improve community health by using mobile technology to connect community members to community organizations and health resources.
Haynes is in communication with NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, a public entity Federally Qualified Health Center co-operated with Hennepin County, to develop a partnership to test Haynes’ Smart Community Health app, which focuses on understanding the social referral process of the healthcare system and community-based organizations. With plans to implement a community advisory board, Haynes seeks community involvement and feedback in every step of the process.
Haynes doesn’t want to impose new systems where they already exist, acknowledging that many community organizations are already working to improve access to healthcare in their neighborhoods. “I want to tell you about a project that is going to help build communities and reduce health disparities by leveraging and mobilizing the resources these communities already have,” said Haynes