The Step Two Policy Project has published a new policy brief, Democratization of Analysis: An Exercise in Accessing and Visualizing New York Health Data, examining the accessibility and usability of publicly available health data in New York State. Authored by Adrienne Anderson, Sally Dreslin, Paul Francis, and Isaac Michaels, the report highlights both the progress made and the challenges that remain in providing transparent, standardized, and actionable health data for policymakers, researchers, and the public.

The analysis reviews key datasets from Health Data NY and other state sources, identifying barriers to effective data use, such as inconsistent formatting, limited standardization, and delays in reporting. The authors propose a series of recommendations to enhance data accessibility, including expanding the use of centralized platforms, improving documentation, and facilitating interactive tools for analysis.

This publication builds on the Step Two Policy Project’s ongoing efforts to promote data-driven decision-making in New York’s healthcare system. By illustrating how existing datasets can be structured for more effective public use, the brief underscores the potential benefits of greater transparency in health data reporting.

The full article is available at: https://www.steptwopolicy.org/post/democratization-of-analysis-an-exercise-in-accessing-and-visualizing-new-york-health-data.

Citation: Anderson A, Dreslin S, Francis P, Michaels I. Democratization of Analysis: An Exercise in Accessing and Visualizing New York Health Data. Step Two Policy Project. Published March 13, 2025.

For more information, visit www.steptwopolicy.org.