A collection of tools and resources designed to assist in the implementation of patient and client demographic data collection in Toronto health-care organizations.
Data Collection
Community Health Centres (CHCs)
CHC Cheat sheet – asking directly – Key messages to communicate when directly asking a client the demographic questions. Available in English and French. CHC Cheat sheet – asking directly in French.
CHC Cheat sheet – handing off forms – Key messages to communicate when handing off the form to a client. Available in English and French. CHC Cheat sheet – handing off forms in French.
CHC Cheat sheet – handing off form to groups – Key messages to communicate when handing off the form to a group. Available in English and French. CHC Cheat sheet – handing off form to groups in French.
CHC Cue Cards – Toronto Central LHIN CHC demographic questions in cue card form.
CHC Guidelines for Collecting from Children & Youth – Guidelines for collecting demographic data from children and youth.
CHC Script – A script for staff on how to properly ask demographic questions in community health centres. Tips for both handing out paper forms for clients to complete or through directly asking the questions in one-on-one conversation with clients.
Hospitals
Hospital Cheat Sheet – ask directly– Key messages to communicate when directly asking a patient the demographic questions.
Hospital Cheat Sheet – hand off form – Key messages to communicate when handing off the form to a patient.
Hospital Cue Cards – Toronto Central LHIN hospital demographic questions in cue card form.
Hospital Guidelines for collecting from patients under 18 – Guidelines for collecting demographic data from pediatric patients.
Hospital Script – A script for staff on how to properly ask demographic questions in hospitals. Tips for both handing out paper forms for patients to complete or through directly asking the questions in one-on-one conversation with patients.
General
8 Toronto Central LHIN questions- concepts and notes – Tools for asking questions – A guide providing the purpose, definitions, and concepts of all 8 Toronto Central LHIN Health Equity Survey questions (adapted from “Measuring Health Equity in TC LHIN” data collection training module).
Sample Workflow for Interview Based Collection – Visual representation of interview based demographic data collection.
Sample Workflow for Paper based Collection – Visual representation of paper based demographic data collection.
Data Quality
Data Quality Audit Report – A data summary report to assess performance in data collection and data quality.
Data Quality Guide – A reference guide on how to ensure data quality when collecting demographic data.
Evaluating Data Collector’s Feedback – Survey and focus group questions designed to collect feedback from data collectors.
Management and Planning
Data Collection Readiness Checklist – Checklist listing all the conditions and requirements needed to start demographic data collection
Hospital – Privacy Officer Memo – A list to assist in understanding the relationship between privacy principles and requirements (based on “A Hospital Privacy Toolkit”).
Sample First Meeting Agenda for Health Equity Steering Committee – A sample first meeting agenda that highlights the goals, operating principles and membership requirement of the steering committee.
Sample Measuring Health Equity Steering Committee Mandate – A sample mandate that highlights the goals, operating principles and membership requirement of the steering committee.
Work Plan for Initial Implementation of Demographic Data Collection – Work plan outlining the steps and deliverables for the roll out of demographic data collection in a health-care setting
Incorporating Health Equity into Care Environments and Care Delivery Checklists – Checklists outlining how to incorporate health equity into both Care Environments and Care Delivery.
For Patients / Clients
Glossary in Plain English – Key terms in the standardized demographic questions are defined in plain English. Also available in French. Glossary in French.
Patient and Client Brochure – The Patient and Client Demographic Data Brochure is available in English and 11 additional languages. This brochure can be distributed to patients and clients for further information on the 8 Toronto Central LHIN questions and why they are being asked the questions.
Poster for Patient and Client Engagement on Demographic Data Collection – A poster for use in promoting demographic data collection. Available in English and French. Poster in French.
References and Reports
Measuring Health Equity
Expanding Demographic Data Collection into Home and Community Care Toronto Central LHIN: Circle of Care Pilot Report – This report provides an overview of the pilot conducted at Circle of Care with the purpose of exploring the feasibility of expanding demographic data collection into Toronto Central LHIN’s Home and Community Care sector.
- Appendix A – Toronto Central LHIN hospital and CHC demographic questions
- Appendix B – Circle of Care pilot training
- Appendix C – Cheat sheet
- Appendix C-1 – Further adapted cheat sheet by Circle of Care
- Appendix D – Circle of Care pilot demographic question form
- Appendix E – Data entering spreadsheet
- Appendix F – Client feedback survey
Measuring Health Equity in the Toronto Central LHIN: 2019 Environmental Scan – This report provides an overview of how 19 Toronto Central LHIN hospitals and CHCs are collecting and using demographic data.
Measuring Health Equity: Demographic Data Collection and Use in Toronto Central LHIN Hospitals and Community Health Centres – Learn about our journey collecting and using demographic data in health care.
Measuring Health Equity in Toronto Central LHIN CHCs Pilot Project Report – This report provides an overview of the Measuring Health Equity in Toronto Central LHIN CHCs Pilot Project, which consisted of a process evaluation of demographic data collection in Community Health Centres (CHCs) using a standardized set of eight Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (Toronto Central LHIN) questions.
We Ask Because We Care: The Tri-Hospital + TPH Health Equity Data Collection Research Project Summary Report – A summary report of the work of the Tri Hospital + Toronto Public Health pilot project.
We Ask Because We Care: The Tri-Hospital + TPH Health Equity Data Collection Research Report – In 2010 three of Toronto’s most diverse hospitals, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Mount Sinai Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital, identified an acute need for quality patient socio-demographic data and launched a pilot project to develop an evidence-based approach for collecting this patient information. Toronto Public Health later joined the project.
External
Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts – Refer to this resource for more information on the impact of social and economic conditions on health equity in Canada.
Improving Health Equity Through Data Collection and Use: A Guide for Hospital Leaders – The paper below is a valuable resource that targets hospital leaders and outlines the rationale for collecting demographic data, as well as proven strategies that have worked for other hospitals.
Creating Equity Reports: A Guide for Hospitals – This paper outlines the activities around health equity planning, including information on the importance of demographic data collection.
Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health – This report by Ramirez, Baker, and Metzler (2008) for the American Centers of Disease Control and Prevention specifically addresses ways to evaluate equity-related programs and provides valuable insight into how we should think about patient demographic data as we develop our plans.
Demographic Data Summary Tools
Community Health Centres (CHCs)
1/2 CHC INSTRUCTIONS – Demographic Profile Comparison – This guide is an accompaniment to “CHC SPREADSHEET – Demographic Profile Comparison” Excel template developed by the Human Rights & Health Equity Office at Sinai Health System. Provides information on how the ‘CHC spreadsheet’ was created and instructions on how to use it.
2/2 CHC SPREADSHEET – Demographic Profile Comparison – helps CHCs compare their client demographic data to 2016 Census data and present the results in tables and graphs. This comparison enables an organization to understand who is (not) being served, identify gaps in access to services, and evaluate programs targeting particular populations.
Hospitals
1/2 HOSPITAL INSTRUCTIONS – Demographic Profile Comparison – This guide is an accompaniment to “HOSPITAL SPREADSHEET – Demographic Profile Comparison” Excel template developed by the Human Rights & Health Equity Office at Sinai Health System. Provides information on how the ‘Hospital spreadsheet’ was created and instructions on how to use it.
2/2 HOSPITAL SPREADSHEET- Demographic Profile Comparison – helps hospitals compare their client demographic data to 2016 Census data and present the results in tables and graphs. This comparison enables an organization to understand who is (not) being served, identify gaps in access to services, and evaluate programs targeting particular populations.
Toronto Central LHIN Specifications
Community Health Centres (CHCs) Equity Data Collection Technical Specifications – technical specification for CHCs’ bi-quarterly reporting to measure progress of collecting equity data and how CHC clients are responding to the equity data collection questions.
Hospital Equity Data Collection Technical Specifications – technical specification for hospitals’ bi-quarterly reporting to measure progress of collecting equity data and how hospital patients are responding to the equity data collection questions.