Insightin Health Works with University of Pittsburgh Students to Predict the Start of Flu Season

Baltimore-based health tech firm collaborates with Industrial Engineering students to solve healthcare challenges Baltimore, MD – September 9, 2020 Insightin Health, provider of data-driven decision-making technology, is excited to join forces with a team of students from the University of Pittsburgh’s (Pitt) Swanson School of Engineering.  As part of their engineering curriculum, this joint effort will combine Insightin Health’s industry-leading knowledge with an engineering approach from top-of-class students. The Insightin Health data science team will be working with Pitt students to explore the hypothesis “can we predict the start of flu season”.  Insightin Health is excited to collaborate with Pitt students in solving the healthcare challenge of protecting vulnerable populations during the flu season through on-time vaccination. Dr. Hyo Kyung Lee and Caroline Kolman, faculty in the Swanson School’s Department of Industrial Engineering, will mentor the students.

While it is recommended that the elderly population receives a flu vaccine each year, the degree of protection throughout the entirety of the year is greatly influenced by when the flu shot is administered. By predicting the start of the flu season, Insightin Health believes it can optimize flu shot timing and support healthier lives – especially for populations experiencing chronic conditions – and help to reduce healthcare costs.

As the Pitt seniors’ comprehensive capstone course, the informal study connects the dots between the students’ education and the application of their knowledge to solve real-world problems. As a result, Pitt students gain the opportunity to develop project management skills, experience team dynamics, and apply soft skills such as communication and professionalism, says Michael Sherwin, Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering at Pitt.

“This is a truly inspiring opportunity for these students to take the skills and know-how they have developed across their educational careers and leverage it to work through a real-life challenge,” notes Sherwin, the Industrial Engineering capstone course coordinator.

“We make it a responsibility to give back to the community. We are excited to collaborate with the passionate and exceptional students and top faculty at the University of Pittsburgh to protect vulnerable populations, predict flu season, and reduce healthcare costs,” says Shufang Ci, Chief Data Scientist of Insightin Health. “We hope, that by creating this opportunity, the students can apply what they learn in the classroom to making an impact in healthcare.”

About Insightin Health

Insightin Health is the industry’s only single platform which provides a complete personalized member engagement for each step of the health care journey. The core platform combines medical, clinical, cognitive, and social determinants of health to recommend the Next Best Action (NBA) for each person. Health plans can improve quality measurements, gain higher member satisfaction, and increase member retention. The simple integration and easy to use platform creates an effective shift towards a healthier population for the health plans. For more information, visit http://insightinhealth.com.

About University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related research university, founded as the Pittsburgh Academy in 1787. Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), which comprises 63 preeminent doctorate-granting research institutions in North America. For more information, visit https://www.pitt.edu/.

Since 1846, the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering has developed innovative processes and designs that have shaped our state, our country, and our world. Swanson School faculty and students are on the forefront of developing solutions to create a better future and continue its founding commitment to industrial, electrical, and mining engineering, the fields the world relies on for its energy and raw materials. The Swanson School also focuses on our health, our planet, and the ingenuity that keeps us competitive with recognized programs in bioengineering, sustainability, and energy. Nanotechnology, manufacturing, and product innovation are also critical strategic initiatives.