IBM, Georgia Institute of Technology form pediatric data partnership

IBM and the Georgia Institute of Technology have teamed up to research variables that affect pediatric health.

The analytics project aims to combine data streams from multiple sources to connect the dots on items such as economic status, transportation, education and food and their effect on health. These variables will be added to the data---lab tests, diagnoses and observations---that physicians collect.

This effort, dubbed One Million Healthy Children, will focus on children with diabetes, asthma and autism fist. The project includes Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Cancer Coalition and the Georgia Department of Community Health.

IBM's research will be used to model economic, incentive and other factors that influence health care decisions. IBM and Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology and Tennenbaum Institute will integrate the incoming data sources. The goal is to find ways to improve pediatric care.

Among the key points of the project:

• The One Million Healthy Children will integrate anonymous health care information and analyze it in aggregate.
• Care data and clinical practices will be collected from partners.
• Health records for 16,000 children will be analyzed with a focus on diabetes, asthma and autism.
• The data points will ideally optimize outcomes that align treatment, costs and outcomes.

Privacy regulations will be followed throughout the analysis.