User Assistance Tool
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) Open Government Dashboard for Health IT overviews ONC's federal health IT strategy and presents key performance measures, figures, and data tables that enable real-time monitoring of the evidence-base regarding the status of and impact from federal policy making, programs implementation, and research activities related to health IT and the modernization of the U.S. health care system.
Contents
I. Using the Site
A. Access the Open Government Dashboard for Health IT web site
1. Search for the URL http://dashboard.healthit.gov/ in your internet browser.
2. Select the button labeled "Click Here to View ONC
Note: The Health IT Dashboard uses Adobe Flash technology. If you are having difficulty loading the site in your internet browser,
you may need to update your computer to the latest version of the Adobe Flash player, which
is available here: http://www.hhs.gov/web/tools/plugins.html.
B. Select a Viewing Preference:
There are two viewing modes to access this web site, including a "Dashboard View" that presents data using interactive charts, graphs, maps and data tables and a "Data-Only View" that is focused to providing a simple access point to download the health IT dashboard data in an open format (e.g., comma delimited or spreadsheet-compatible)
| Viewing Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Dashboard View | "Dashboard View" for an visual depiction of information including interactive graphs, charts, maps, and data tables |
| Data-Only View | Select "Data Grid-Only View" for stream-lined access to the site's source data presented in screen-reader / assistive technology compliant view |
C. General User Guidance and Screen Layouts
How to use the Open Government Dashboard for Health IT in the Dashboard View
1. Main Screen of the Dashboard View
| Button Label | Screen Location | Dashboard Control |
|---|---|---|
| Select View | Top Right Button on Control Panel |
This drop down menu list lets a user select the subject matter of the dashboard that is presented. |
| Map Only | Left-most Button on Control Pane |
This control button hides all content except the map and corresponding documentation from the screen view. |
| Grid View | Center-left Button on Control Panel |
This control panel button enables a user to switch between a geographic or chart-based analysis to the source data table. |
| Export | Center Button on Control Panel |
This control panel button enables a user to export the available data table in comma delimited or Excel format. The download is accompanied with documentation about the data source. |
| Center-Right Button on Control Panel |
This control panel button sends a print command to any printer available on a user's computer. The default setting is to Adobe PDF format. | |
| ? Help | Right-most Button on Control Panel |
This control panel button links a user to the job aid describing how the Dashboard tool is to be used |
2. Active Tabs in the Dashboard View
There are 3 tabs available through the left content panel of the Health IT Dashboard, Dashboard View. The three panels contain: pre-configured charts & graphs that communicate key performance information, user-controlled map options that enable the customization of the measure and points displayed on a dashboard map, and a description of the dashboard, entity, and data sources in the active view review.
Examples of the three tab views available within the Tab Selection Panel are shown below.
| "Charts & Graphs" | "Map Options" | "About" |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| Button Label | Screen Location | Dashboard Control |
|---|---|---|
| Charts & Graphs | Left-most Tab on Tab Panel | This tab includes 3 sections of pre-set analyses that communicate key performance indicators within a particular dashboard theme. The analytical areas expand into a pop-up window upon mouse click. From the expanded view, users have the option to change between chart and grid view, print view, and download the data. |
| Map Options | Center Tab on Tab Panel | This tab contains three options to customize the information displayed on the map. The tab is comprised of three sections. In the top section, titled "Customize Map View" users can select the statistic that is presented on the map. The statistic is communicated using a color gradient that is overlaid on the map. In the middle section, titled "Select Points to Map" users can select from available points to map, such as ONC grantees or other public health entities. In the bottom section, titled "Organizations Displayed," users can review a list of the organization names for all of the organizations shown as points in the map view. If a particular organization is selected from within this section, the organization will be highlighted on the map and any corresponding performance information in the Charts & Graphs panel will be filtered to the data that pertain only to that organization. |
| About | Right Tab on Tab Panel | This tab provides documentation about the data active in the current dashboard view, including the description, contact information, data history, viewing level, produced by, and data source citations. |
3. How to use the Open Government Dashboard for Health IT in the Data-Only View
This webpage contains all of the data sets and documentation that are available within the Open Government Dashboard for Health IT. In contrast to the "Dashboard View," which combines interactive data tables, charts, graphs, and maps to visually depict key performance indicators and trends, the "Data Only View" is exclusively focused toward the dissemination of open and re-usable datasets.
Data tables from the "Data Only View" and "Dashboard View" are all downloadable in comma delimited (.CSV) or spreadsheet (e.g., .XLS) compatible format. Data that is downloaded as a spreadsheet will contain two worksheets, one worksheet that contains a formatted data table – and is labeled "Data" – and one worksheet that contains documentation about the dataset – and is labeled "Documentation." The summary information available in the downloaded "Documentation" worksheet includes the data set name, data source and contact information, date that the data set was last updated, and a summary statement describing the primary insights that can be gleaned from analyzing the dataset.
II. Frequently Asked Questions
A. I really like a specific map, chart, or data table, can I download it?
1. Download a data table from the Dashboard View
| Button Label | Dashboard Control |
|---|---|
| Export | The "Export" button enables a user to download the data file as a comma delimited file (*.CSV) or other spreadsheet-compatible format (e.g,. Microsoft *.XLS or Open Office *.ODS). |
| Grid View | Underlying every representation of data on this website there is a corresponding data table. To a data table, click the "Grid View" button located in the Control Panel of the active window. |
2. Save or Print the on-screen view from the Dashboard View
| Button Label | Dashboard Control |
|---|---|
| The "Print" button enables a user to print the onscreen view to a printer that is connected to their computer or as a document writer such as Adobe PDF. |
3. Save or Print the on-screen view from the Dashboard View
| Button Label | Dashboard Control |
|---|---|
| The "Print" button enables a user to print the onscreen view to a printer that is connected to their computer or as a document writer such as Adobe PDF. |
B. The website won't load on my computer; can you help me access the site?
This web site uses Adobe Flash software and requires that your computer has the latest version installed. To determine if your computer's Adobe Flash player is up to date, go to http://www.hhs.gov/web/tools/plugins.html
C. I use a screen reader or other adaptive technology to access the internet, how do I use the Dashboard?
The use of screen readers and other adaptive technologies is optimized in the Health IT Data Sets view. To access the Health IT Data Sets view that is optimized for adaptive technologies, users must select the Data Only View option on the ONC Dashboard home page at http://dashboard.healthit.gov/
III. Contact the Web Site Administrator to Report Website Errors, Inaccurate Information, or Other Items of Concern
A. I want to a recommend a new measure of health IT adoption or health information exchange and/or supply a dataset for inclusion on the Health IT Dashboard; how can I do so?
If you would like to request that particular information is added to the Health IT Dashboards, please send your request to ONCDashboard@HHS.GOV. In your e-mail subject line, include the phrase "Health IT Dashboard." In the body of your e-mail, include enough information that a responder can reasonably understand your proposal and contact you in return if an opportunity to add said data to the Health IT Dashboard arises.
B. What should I do if I have questions about the site or if find information that I believe is incorrect?
If you identify any information in this site that you know or suspect may be incorrect, please send an e-mail detailing the suspected error to ONCDashboard@HHS.GOV. In your e-mail subject line, include the phrase "Health IT Dashboard." In the body of your e-mail, please describe the location and type of error you suspect in detail. In addition, please be certain to include enough information so that a responder can contact you in the event that there are questions.
Page last updated on: 03/21/2012