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NORC at the University Chicago

Alex Polkhovsky

Senior Systems Architect
Advanced Data Solutions Center
Alex excels in architecting and implementing complex data systems and solutions across diverse industries.

Alex Polkhovsky is a seasoned systems architect in the Advanced Data Solutions Center. He plays a vital role as a member of the management team for the NORC Data Enclave®, a high-performance computing environment that provides secure remote access to sensitive datafiles and analytical tools. His expertise lies in creating secure data hosting environments, high-performance computing solutions, and self-service data analysis options. With over 20 years of experience, Alex excels in architecting and implementing complex systems and solutions across diverse industries such as healthcare, market research, media, and business intelligence.

Alex’s contributions include implementing a cloud-based data collection portal for law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking, developing interactive data visualization portals for childcare accessibility analysis, and designing scalable OCR text extraction processes for patents filed in China. Alex has also excelled in handling complex ETL data pipelines, performing data load operations for multiple states, and ensuring secure data operations for the All-Payer Claims Database and Health Information Exchange projects. In addition, Alex has used his expertise in data architecture and governance to:

  • Establish robust frameworks for effective data management and governance
  • Ensure data quality, access control, security, and privacy across a spectrum of projects
  • Deliver practical use cases to drive data-informed decision-making
  • Conduct benchmarking exercises against comparable healthcare entities, both nationally and internationally
  • Pioneer the creation and management of data marketplaces, enabling data monetization
  • Orchestrate Proof of Concept (POC) frameworks for data and AI initiatives

Before joining NORC, Alex served as a solution architect at EPAM Systems, focusing on customer data processing workflows and modular data export processes. At Visual Intelligence LLC, he designed an online platform for managing and delivering business intelligence solutions and mentored development teams.

Project Contributions

Health Care Cost Institute Research Database

Managing one of the nation’s largest multi-payer claims databases to drive insights into health care spending trends

Client:

Health Care Cost Institute

USDA Economic Research Service Secure Data Enclave

Providing secure hosting, management, and access to restricted-use data about the U.S. food supply

Client:

Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Florida Transparency Initiative for Health Care

Developing a tool to help consumers compare health care costs and quality

Client:

Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI)

Colorado All-Payer Claims Database

Streamlining the management of Colorado’s health insurance claims

Client:

Center for Improving Value in Healthcare (CIVHC)

College Board ACES

Providing better and secure means of validating college admissions and course placement policies

Client:

College Board