Make wishtv.com your home page

Contest to seek ways to reduce Indiana infant mortality rate

Indiana ranks seventh in the nation for infant mortality. (Photo Provided/Public Domain/Pixabay/Inside INdiana Business)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A nonprofit that uses medical data and technology to improve health care outcomes is targeting Indiana’s high infant mortality rate.

The state chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is hosting a competition intended to uncover ways to improve health outcomes for Indiana mothers and infants.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indiana has the seventh-highest infant mortality rate in the country at 7.3 percent of every 1,000 live births. The national average is 5.8 percent.

The society is hosting the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza, a competition to create data analysis that will help steer policies and initiatives for the state Department of Health OB Navigator program. Holcomb signed legislation to create the program. The goal is to create a tangible network of services to help mothers and babies stay healthy.

“The opportunity to support Gov. Holcomb’s goal to achieve the lowest infant mortality rate among Midwestern states by 2024 is compelling,” said Ethel Massing, president of the Indiana chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

The society said it hopes by convening researchers, health care professionals and entrepreneurs from Indiana, the competition will drive exploration to lower the infant mortality numbers.

“The unique insight gained from the Healthy Mom + Baby Datapalooza will benefit the OB Navigator program and I look forward to the event,” Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box.

The top 10 finalists will present solutions before a panel of judges in October at Parkview Education Center in Fort Wayne. The society said more than $3,000 will be awarded as prizes to the top two finishers.