About Us

Academic Partnership

Program Overview

The Hotspotting initiative’s MIT collaboration introduces a rigor to this initiative often lacking in traditional community-based outreach programs. An independent program evaluation will be conducted in partnership with MIT using an approach that aligns with the phased implementation of the program.


In February 2019, the MIT Sloan School of Management’s Initiative for Health System’s Innovation (HSI) announced a formal collaboration with the Staten Island Performing Provider System to explore and evaluate how the SI-PPS community centered data platform and innovative approach to community based care could be used to address systemic healthcare challenges. This partnership subsequently led to the development of the predictive algorithm and analytics system which the Hotspotting Program centers on.

“This is an exciting and unique collaboration that could result in a significant amount of learning, not just about what works, but about how and why it works and how it can be adapted and scaled to other groups.”

Dr. Anne Quaadgras

Director of Health Systems Innovation at MIT

The Hotspotting Program’s academic partnership will evaluate the initiative’s success based on the initiation and engagement of individuals as well as the prevention of overdose deaths, overdoses and related preventable ER admissions/hospitalizations. Additionally, continued efforts at refining and
improving the predictive analytics system will also be undertaken. This partnership will ensure not only that the ‘Hotspotting the Overdose Crisis’ program is evidence making but also that it produces results which will be used to dramatically impact overdose treatment and healthcare provision overall

The program funds a full-time MIT academic partner who will be the on the ground point person for this critical academic support and oversight.

© 2022 Hotspotting the Overdose Epidemic