title: Using tracking infrastructure to support public health programs, policies, and emergency response in New York City.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe how the New York City (NYC) Tracking Program has used nationally mandated Secure Portal infrastructure and staff analytical expertise to support programs and inform policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The NYC Health Department assesses, investigates, and acts on a wide range of environmental concerns to protect the health of New Yorkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific examples of highly effective policies or initiatives that relied on the NYC Tracking Program are described, including restaurant sanitary grade posting, rat indexing, converting boilers to cleaner-burning fuels, reducing exposure to mercury from fish and contaminated products, and responding to Superstorm Sandy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NYC Tracking Program supports the Health Department in using inspectional, administrative, and health data to guide operations. Tracking has also allowed internal and external partners to use these data to guide policy development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Health, Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York.
authors.forename: Nancy Loder
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McKelvey
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004199:Disease Vectors; D060731:Emergency Responders; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects; D009519:New York City; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D012147:Restaurants / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury