Suite 200 Fisher Building
3011 West Grand Blvd.
Detroit, Michigan 48202

313.873.9302 phone
313.873.9466 fax


Director, CPH/SEMHA

There is no lack of population health data. Data are collected by health departments, health plans, health care systems, employers, community agencies and other organizations. What is lacking is a compilation of these data, from a regional perspective and across public and private sectors, that facilitates successful action for health improvement.

Data can provide the basis for action at the local level, but that action can be effective only if data are meaningful in a broader context. One cannot effectively address priorities such as healthy lifestyles and access to health care without understanding the relationship.

The Center for Population Health, a unit of the Southeastern Michigan Health Association (SEMHA), facilitates joint action to improve the health status of residents of the region. Formed as a neutral forum for dialogue and collaboration and backed by highly advanced information technology and expertise, the Center provides a wide range of products and services to organizations throughout Southeastern Michigan.

The Center's regional perspective, state-of-the-art technological capabilities and unique ability to turn data into information for action make it an effective partner for organizations interested in strategic planning, project development, program evaluation and comparative analyses.

The Center provides timely assistance to communities and organizations in acquiring and interpreting data, designing strategies and capturing and using feedback quickly.

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Decision support

The Center translates data into information for effective decision-making. Using shared databases and applying a sophisticated understanding of statistics along with advanced data-processing technology, the Center helps organizations frame the right questions, identify and gather the data needed to get answers and plan an appropriate course of action.

Outcomes research

The Center is an objective source of project and program evaluation. It provides dynamic measures and fast feedback so that strategies can be accurately assessed and fine-tuned even as they are being implemented. This has an immediate and positive impact on an organization's capacity to deliver and finance effective health improvement activities and health services.

Leadership development

The Center helps organizations as they work to cultivate decision-making leadership skills that take full advantage of information resources. The Center shares its expertise in strategic visioning, information development and organizational dynamics through consultation and group facilitation activities. The Center identifies the skills that promote successful organizational evolution and helps communities and organizations identify opportunities to improve population health.

The Center for Population Health provides a range of services based on its unique ability to compile, integrate and interpret health data. It also creates linkages across communities and organizations and makes available evidence-based solutions to shared problems.

• Consultation

Assisting in areas such as a developing a "Request for Proposals" or evaluating proposals.

• Consolidation of activities

Linking organizations for the cost-efficient administration of common activities, such as population-, organization- or facility-based surveys.

• Combination of data sets

Enhancing the value of existing data by combining data sets and preparing easy-to-use visual presentations of data such as mapping.

• Development of evidence-based solutions

Determining the effectiveness of strategies aimed at changing health behavior in specific populations.

• Development of evaluation models

Creating processes that quickly measure outcomes and assist in adapting strategies.