Core Indicators for Public Health in Ontario: Celebrating Our Achievements

1. Core Indicators for Public Health in Ontario: Celebrating Our Achievements Mary-Anne Pietrusiak December 5, 2008

2. In the Beginning... • Epidemiologists in Ontario recognized the need for consistency among health reports • The Provincial Health Indicators Work Group (PHIWG) was established February, 1998 as an initiative of the Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario (APHEO) • Mandate: • ... to systematically define and operationalize a core set of health indicators

3. Founders of Core Indicators ProjectInaugural Meeting February 1998 • Raili Cardinal, Algoma Health Unit • Terry Delmore, Halton Region Health Department • Vivek Goel, Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences • Hyewon Lee-Han, City of Toronto (North York) • Ian Johnson, City of Toronto (North York) • Mary-Anne Pietrusiak, Durham Region HD • Ruth Sanderson, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound HU • Patrick Seliske, Waterloo Region Health Unit • Julie Stratton, Perth District Health Unit

4. Building on the Work of the Past • Community Health Profile – Ministry of Health initiative with George Pasut and Pat Stuckless • Central East Collaboration Project – Toronto and others • CIHI & ICIS Health Status Indicators • User’s Guide to 40 Community Health Indicators

5. Criteria for Selecting Indicators • Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines • Data generally available and accessible at the local level • Indicator had to be useful and meaningful • Indicator had to be relevant to health • “Core” indicators • Decision by consensus

7. Key Milestones • Feb 1998 – Inaugural meeting at ICES • March 1998 – Provincial Health Indicators Working Group formed with members from APHEO, HIUs, MoH, PHRED • 1999 – CPHA, OPHA, PHERO article • 1999 – First meetings on Chartbook Pages (MoH, HIUs) • Nov 1999 – Binder of draft Core Population Health Indicators for Ontario (sent to PHUs) • Feb 2000 – Release of Ontario Health Status Report • Jan 2001 – Round 2 begins to revise and expand the first draft • Summer 2001 – Student hired by CEHIP to create Core Indicators website • Fall 2001 – Website launch at APHEO conference • Jan 2003 – Presentation at ICES/HIU Symposium • 2005 – Completion of indicators

9. Key Milestones, cont’d • 2006 – Round 3 website edits begin • Feb 2006 – Formation of 4 sub-groups • June 2007 – Submitted funding application to PHAC • Dec 2007 – Verbal notice of funding approval • Jan 2008 – Presentation at ICES/HIU Symposium • May 2008 – APHEO website converted to wiki style • July 2008 – Harleen Sahota begins as Project Manager • Nov 2008 – OPHS & PHAS protocol released • Dec 2008 – Core Indicators strategic planning

10. by CEHIP

11. You know you’ve made it when… • There are over 4,000 unique visitors to APHEO website every month (2007) – indicator pages accessed the most • APHEO indicators are referenced in PHAS protocol • You try to find a reference to use in the Core Indicators and discover they reference the Core Indicators

12. How have we managed to survive? • Partnerships – MOHLTC, MHP,* HIUs, ICES, Statcan, health units (Durham*) • Strength and growth of APHEO • Commitment of key individuals • Niche specific to public health epidemiologists – different from other indicator projects

13. What is happening now? • 5 Sub-Groups revising and updating indicators: • Cancer, Smoking and Sun Safety • Healthy Eating Active Living • Reproductive Health • Infectious Diseases • Leading Causes • PHAC project – chronic diseases & risk factors, P&Ps • Ad hoc group on standardization recommendations • Opportunity to develop Built Environment indicators

14. What is happening around us? APHEO Strategic Planning Agency For Health Protection & Promotion New OPHS & PHAS Protocol Core Indicators Project IntelliHealth General Emphasis On Measuring Health RRFSS Expansion National Health Indicators Operation Health Protection

15. Questions?