ABQ firm using data to help inform response to COVID-19 pandemic

An Albuquerque-based data firm built an online tool for officials and members of the public to use to help fight the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by a type of coronavirus. The company, called RS21, helps clients leverage data to address problems and develop solutions. But Charles Rath, CEO and president of the firm, […]

ABQ firm using data to help inform response to COVID-19 pandemic

An Albuquerque-based data firm built an online tool for officials and members of the public to use to help fight the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by a type of coronavirus.

The company, called RS21, helps clients leverage data to address problems and develop solutions. But Charles Rath, CEO and president of the firm, said his employees wanted to flex their skills to help New Mexican residents and officials respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The idea came from our employees. They’re very passionate people who care deeply for our communities” Rath told NM Political Report. “We enthusiastically seek out challenges in the world that need to be understood and addressed. Things like cancer research, preparing communities for disasters, ending poverty, fighting crime, and most recently, preparing communities for COVID-19.”

The company developed an Urban Health Vulnerability Index, which maps cities like Albuquerque and Las Cruces to highlight areas that are most vulnerable to the disease, focusing on neighborhoods where large numbers of vulnerable populations exist.

“While we’re all going to be affected in some way by COVID-19, the people who are going to be affected the most are the high-risk populations. That’s the elderly, people with underlying chronic health conditions, like kidney disease, heart disease, or diabetes; as well as people who are uninsured, who might be less likely to seek testing for fear of medical costs,” Rath said. “We wanted to identify where there are high concentrations of vulnerable populations, so we could help public health officials, community groups, faith-based organizations, to think about where our outreach may need to occur.”

The Urban Health Vulnerability Index maps for Albuquerque (left), Santa Fe (center) and Las Cruces (right). Source: RS21

The tool uses data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Census Bureau to highlight which areas are at risk.

“What you’re looking at is a map of where vulnerable populations are. Those red census tracts are places where there’s a high concentration of elderly people, high concentration of people that are uninsured, or a high concentration of people that have underlying chronic health conditions,” Rath said. “So as this pandemic spreads, these are the neighborhoods that are going to need the most help, most likely.”

That information could prove useful to officials around the state who are now scrambling to ensure hospitals have enough equipment and have enough total capacity to handle an anticipated surge in demand for care. 

RELATED: A medical worker describes terrifying lung failure from COVID-19 — even in his young patients

The site also tracks community resources, things like donation centers, meal distribution locations, hotlines, government information websites and other services that have been made available in response to the public health emergency.

“There’s been an outpouring of resources and support that people are putting out, but it’s all in different silos. We saw that as an issue a couple weeks ago, and started putting it all in one place for New Mexico,” he said. “If you’re looking to donate food or money, or you want to get tested, it’s all right there.”

The RS21 team first built out the tool for New Mexico’s three largest urban areas: Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe. Rath would like to expand to more cities in New Mexico, but finding accurate datasets for those smaller cities and rural areas has proved challenging.

“The data tends to be richer in urban areas than in rural areas,” he said. “Our data science team is aggressively looking for additional datasets, because we know so much of New Mexico is in rural areas.”

But officials across the country — and especially in urban centers — seem hungry for this type of information, too. While RS21 initially developed the index for New Mexico’s largest cities, it wasn’t long after posting the tool on social media that the company began receiving calls from public officials in other parts of the country who were interested in seeing the tool expand to include their cities and states.

“We started getting contacted by public officials all over the country, from New Orleans to New York to Washington D.C.,” Rath said. “We stepped up to the demand, and started including all these additional cities. There’s 13 cities in the tool right now, and as demand increases, we may expand it to other cities across the U.S.”

“This isn’t work that’s being done for a client. RS21 employees are just passionate about our communities,” Rath added. “The main goal of this tool is to save lives, and help vulnerable populations. We didn’t do this as a marketing stunt, we did it because we care about humanity during this time of need. All we care about is that this tool ends up helping people and guide resources.”

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Sen. Martin Heinrih and other Senate colleagues introduced abortion rights legislation into the U.S. Senate on Thursday. The Abortion Care Capacity Enhancement and Support…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Sen. Martin Heinrih and other Senate colleagues introduced abortion rights legislation into the U.S. Senate on Thursday. The Abortion Care Capacity Enhancement and Support…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Ex-GOP candidate allegedly hired people to kill witnesses in shootings of homes of Democratix politicians

Ex-GOP candidate allegedly hired people to kill witnesses in shootings of homes of Democratix politicians

Republican failed state house candidate Solomon Peña is facing more federal charges, this time on a murder-for-hire scheme.  Peña allegedly tried to hire two…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report