Blog Post 3

I received the pediatric patient data from my client this past Thursday and attempted to import the excel file into my initial GoogleMaps document today to start the entire mapping portion of my project. However, there appears to be a limit of 100 cells that GoogleMaps  allows to be imported, and my file is way too large as it contains 2,789 cells of patient addresses. This is a definite problem in the early stage of my project, hopefully we will sort it out within the next few days. I must also work on converting each individual address into lat/long coordinates.I am converting addresses in groups of 100 at this point, so this is a little tedious as well. I reached out to my client via E-mail earlier in the day regarding the number of addresses that I will be able to map out, and asked if there is a certain subset of data that can possibly be prioritized - so that this number can be scaled down to something more reasonable.

Blog Post 2

Due to the sensitive nature of my course project, I am required to review a PowerPoint presentation regarding HIPPA (the privacy law) prior to receiving any patient data. Once I review this PowerPoint, I can then meet with my client to sign off that I have reviewed all information pertaining to HIPPA, agree with its terms, etc. I will sign off on this Thursday morning, obtain the patient data, and will then be able to finally start the initial portion of my project: inputting the x-y coordinates of all pediatric patients into the GoogleMaps document. 

Blog Post 1 - Project Proposal

Introduction

 Currently, a local pediatrician has no system of information pertaining to the whereabouts of her patients in relation to her office as well as to crucial resources. In order to address this lack of information, I will produce a map that will aid in increasing both pediatric patient accessibility to certain nearby resources and display other relevant features in order to create a visually informative map.

Objectives/Deliverables

-      Plot patients’ locations with the ability to zoom in and out and to highlight within each municipality (on multiple maps)
            
       -  Patients will be plotted based on age ranges: a map for infants, for toddlers, etc. (up to 100 patients per map)

-      Plot local recourse to patients (within 25 miles of the office): Farmers’ markets, pharmacies, and major bus lines

-    Highlight school district boundary lines, including the individual elementary schools within the district area

Methodology

My client has stressed the need to be able to update new patient information post project completion. Due to the fact that the office is continually receiving new patients, being able to add new patient data following the conclusion of this project is pertinent to its overall utility. Therefore, after I obtain the latitude and longitude coordinate locations for each patient, I will generate multiple maps that meet the above criteria within Google Maps so that new information can be continually added and the link can be shared. The main objective of this project will be the user’s ability to zoom in and out to the features and to highlight all patient/resource connections. I will then create static maps utilizing ArcGIS software to go along with the Google Map link.

        The main data sources required for this project entail GoogleMaps as well as data layers from CUGIR (NYS school district boundaries) that I will input into ArcGIS for the finalized static maps - possibly more may be required as my maps become more complete and I am able to gage what else is necessary. 

Expected Work Plan

Week of

10/10/13 – Meeting with client to establish objectives and expectations

           
           10/15/13 – Redrafting of project proposal

           
          10/22/13  - Review HIPPA (privacy law/sign off on patient confidentiality)
            - Receive patient data

10/29/13 – Begin mapping process in GoogleMaps 
 - Map of subset of the first 50 patients & resources to gage an idea of how                           the general layout will appear

11/5/13 - Continue to convert patient addresses into lat/long coordinates and begin to break down maps based on age ranges of patients (infants, toddlers, and so on)

11/12/13 - Begin to finalize: Add appropriate local resources layers to patient maps, designate appropriate symbology, and establish school district boundaries

11/26/13 - Create finalized static maps of patient maps in ArcGIS 

12/5/13 – Complete map/create final poster