It wasn’t until the third year of her undergraduate degree that Anita Suljic found a passion for public health. As a Peer Health Educator for Wellness Services and a Health Studies student, Suljic gained a deeper understanding of public health and aimed to further her education in graduate school and build a career out of her newfound passion.
With the option to pursue a Master of Public Health Degree focused on data — Suljic was hooked. Data analytics, she says, provided her a strong foundation of skills that could be valuable across a variety of careers.
Suljic said she appreciated the opportunity to engage with Idaho communities in and outside the classroom — helping her gain a deeper understanding of the diverse populations across the state and preparing her for future career opportunities.
“Pursuing a career in health data analytics has allowed me to engage in a wide range of projects and see a variety of aspects of public health and healthcare,” Suljic said. “I felt that pursuing a career in data would allow me to better understand what areas of the field I enjoy most as I grow my career.”
As a Population Health Data Specialist with the Idaho Community Health Center Association, Suljic’s daily work centers around community data. The association supports 15 Federally Qualified Health Centers that provide care to communities regardless of their ability to pay.
Suljic oversees the use of the population health tool, “Azara DRVS,” which ingests electronic health record data into a platform accessible to all health center staff. This allows the association to track performance on quality metrics, identify patients with care gaps and more. Suljic also assists with any additional data reporting required for grants and contracts.
“What I enjoy most is the opportunity to not only collaborate with people across Idaho but also throughout the country. It’s interesting to learn about similar initiatives in other states and how they compare or contrast with the work being done here,” Suljic said.
From coursework to internships, Suljic said her educational background prepared her for many of the projects she encounters in her current role. In her experience with the DASH Lab — an SPPH initiative where students work with local organizations to dissect and assess community health data — Suljic learned how to collaborate with various public health and healthcare stakeholders across the state.
A deep understanding of health data analytics can help health professionals understand the difference between reliable, useful data and information and the data that may be inaccurate or less relevant, she said. Data helps inform Suljic’s decision making and helps provide a deeper understanding of health outcomes in her daily work.
“In most industries, but especially in healthcare, data drives decisions. It helps identify populations at greater risk for certain health outcomes, reveals the factors that may drive up costs, and explains why certain groups are more impacted,” Suljic said. “All of this comes down to data.”