Integrating Geospatial Environmental Data with Electronic Health Records

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM - 09:15 AM

Abstract Keywords: Environmental Health and Climate Informatics, Real-World Evidence Generation, Geospatial (GIS) Data/Analysis, Privacy and Security, Causal Inference, Population Health, Quantitative Methods, Health Equity
Primary Track: Foundations
Programmatic Theme: Clinical Research Informatics

Integrating electronic health records (EHRs) with geospatial data provides powerful opportunities for translational research and precision medicine, especially as climate change intensifies environmental health risks and exacerbates disparities. However, robust integration demands rigorous methodological frameworks, careful attention to privacy, and clear governance strategies. This interdisciplinary panel presents the current state of clinical-environmental data integration, highlighting methodological best practices, operational challenges, and privacy-preserving record linkage strategies. Panelists will discuss real-world use cases, including the EPA CARES initiative, and privacy frameworks from the NIH All of Us program. Participants will gain actionable insights into effective data integration, learn methods for ensuring responsible use of patient-level location data, and explore how integrated datasets can inform clinical practice, targeted public health interventions, and evidence-based policy decisions.

Moderator:
Emily Pfaff, PhD, MS
UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Speakers:
Cavin Ward-Caviness, PhD
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Abhishek Bhatia, MS
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Tomas McIntee, Ph.D.
UNC-Chapel Hill

Charisse Madlock-Brown, PhD
University of Iowa

Authors:
Abhishek Bhatia, MS - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Emily Pfaff, PhD, MS - UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine; Tomas McIntee, Ph.D. - UNC-Chapel Hill; Charisse Madlock-Brown, PhD - University of Iowa; Cavin Ward-Caviness, PhD - US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);