On March 16, 2025, the Dallas County Health & Human Services (DCHHS) marked two years since the launch of its Pediatric Asthma Surveillance System (PASS), a tool designed to help asthma sufferers better understand environmental risks impacting their condition.
Since its introduction in March 2023, PASS has helped Dallas County residents and supported efforts by Parkland Health and DCHHS to reduce poor health outcomes related to pediatric asthma.
“Dallas County is one of the few, if not only, communities in the country that offer this kind of support to residents suffering from asthma,” said Steve Miff, PhD, CEO and President of the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI).
PASS was developed through a collaboration between DCHHS, PCCI, and Parkland Health. The platform, available on the DCHHS website, has received more than 6,000 visits and has been recognized by the Dallas County Commissioners for its impact. The tool has also been featured in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.
PASS incorporates a Pediatric Asthma Vulnerability Index, which integrates health and social data insights to identify communities where children face higher risks for asthma-related emergencies or hospitalizations. The tool predicts the likelihood of an asthma-related emergency within three months by analyzing ten community indicators, including socioeconomic conditions, demographics, medication use, and environmental factors.
“One of the most impactful outcomes of PASS has been the identification of neighborhoods with the highest burden of pediatric asthma,” said Philip Huang, MD, MPH, Director/Health Authority at DCHHS. “By leveraging real-time data, PASS has enabled us to pinpoint geographic areas where asthma prevalence and hospitalizations are disproportionately high, allowing us to target resources more effectively.”
The system’s interactive map displays color-coded risk levels, allowing users to view data by ZIP Code or census tract and analyze specific indicators contributing to asthma risk. Additional insights, such as tobacco use rates and medication adherence trends, provide actionable data to guide clinical care and public health strategies.
“The two years PASS has been running have been a huge benefit to Dallas County,” said Yolande Pengetnze, MD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Leadership at PCCI. “PASS strengthens public health leaders’ ability to plan, design, deploy, and evaluate pediatric asthma programs because they now have a single robust data source.”
PASS continues to support Parkland Health’s and DCHHS’ pediatric asthma programs, including a text-messaging program designed to help parents manage their child’s asthma.
To access PASS live, go to: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/public-health/chronic-disease/asthma-control-overview.php
*This work is funded in part by Lyda Hill Philanthropies. Lyda Hill Philanthropies encompasses the charitable giving for founder Lyda Hill and includes her foundation and personal philanthropy. Our organization is committed to funding transformational advances in science and nature, empowering nonprofit organizations and improving the Texas and Colorado communities. Because Miss Hill has a fervent belief that "science is the answer" to many of life's most challenging issues, she has chosen to donate the entirety of her estate to philanthropy and scientific research. For more details visit lydahillphilanthropies.org.
About PCCI
The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) is a not-for-profit, mission-driven organization with industry-leading expertise in the responsible application of artificial intelligence, machine learning and SDOH data modeling to address the needs of vulnerable populations. PCCI started as a department within Parkland Health and was spun out as an independent organization in 2012. PCCI strives to leapfrog the status quo by harnessing the transformative potential of data. Our unique capabilities allow us to provide innovative, actionable solutions that more effectively identify needs, prioritize services, empower providers, and engage patients.
