CDC-funded program will accelerate data
exchange between healthcare and public health to drive timely,
data-informed public health action
ARLINGTON, Va.,
July 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), National Network of Public
Health Institutes (NNPHI), and Public Health Accreditation Board
(PHAB) today announced the launch of a new Implementation Center
Program to support public health agencies as they modernize their
data systems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) provided $255M in funding
through the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) for the new
program, which will provide tailored support and technical
implementation services to accelerate adoption of the latest health
information technology standards for data exchange.
"Fast and reliable sharing of data between healthcare, public
health, and among public health authorities is key to our ability
to detect and respond to new and emerging threats, improve health
outcomes, and promote health equity," says Jennifer Layden,
MD, PhD, Director for CDC's Office of Public Health Data,
Surveillance, and Technology. "These Implementation Centers will
provide direct support to health departments to adopt new
technology and data standards to better connect healthcare data
into the public health ecosystem. This means more complete, secure,
and faster sharing of data to inform public health
actions."
The Implementation Center Program builds upon previous
investments made through PHIG, a major federal investment
supporting U.S. infrastructure needs and will expand the number of
public health agencies eligible to receive support. The goal of the
program is to reduce the burden on public health agencies, health
care systems and providers, labs, and other data providers to
seamlessly exchange information for rapid detection of and response
to health threats.
"The Implementations Centers will bolster vital public health
data modernization efforts," says Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH,
ASTHO CEO. "This effort builds on the important investment that CDC
is making into public health infrastructure, with the understanding
that data modernization is not a one-time endeavor but rather an
ongoing effort essential to the operation of modern, effective
health departments."
"In addition to accelerating data exchange for public health
action, the Implementation Center Program is a transformative
opportunity to innovate the public health, health care, lab, and
technology sectors data pipeline. Our future data ecosystem cannot
look the same as it did during the COVID pandemic," says J.T.
Lane, MPH, ASTHO's senior vice president of population health and
innovation. "ASTHO is thrilled to be partnering with NNPHI and PHAB
with the support of CDC to bolster the public health informatics
workforce; strengthen data systems, processes and policies; and
deploy scalable, flexible, and sustainable technologies."
The Implementation Center Program includes three Implementation
Centers that will provide direct technical implementation services
to public health agencies with a fourth Implementation Center to
support tribal health agencies and tribal-serving organizations in
their data modernization efforts.
ASTHO, NNPHI, and PHAB are pleased to announce the selection of
CRISP Shared Services, Guidehouse, and Mathematica to serve as the
three Implementation Centers. The Implementation Center Program
aims to benefit public health agencies across the country, whether
directly through participation in the program or indirectly through
resources such as guidance documents, webinars, and other offerings
that synthesize findings and emerging lessons learned from the
program.
"State, territorial, and local health departments face ongoing
challenges in ensuring that their communities are afforded
high-quality public health programs and services," says
Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN, PHAB
president and CEO. "The Implementation Center Program will address
these challenges and assist in improving the quality and
effectiveness of health departments for millions of Americans. This
is a monumental investment in our public health system that will
facilitate more effective collaboration throughout our
nation."
The PHIG National Partners published a request for
proposals (RFP) for the Tribal Implementation Center on
Monday, June 10, 2024. The RFP is
available at NNPHI Funding Announcements. Proposal responses are
due July 28, 2024.
"The PHIG National Partners will be working directly with
Tribal partners to launch a Tribal Implementation Center," says
Chris Tall Bear, Tribal Public
Health Advisor for NNPHI. "This center will move tribal public
health systems toward modern, standards-based approaches that
result in more timely and complete data exchange among public
health agencies, healthcare providers treating American
Indian/Alaska Native populations, and tribal-serving organizations.
Tribes and tribal-serving organizations will play a central role in
designing solutions to unique data challenges while maintaining
sovereignty over their data."
More information about the Implementation Center Program can be
found at the PHIG Partners website.
ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the
public health agencies of the United
States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states,
and Washington, D.C., as well as
the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies
employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these
jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound
public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health
practice.
The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) is
the official organization representing 50 public health institutes
in 41 states spanning all ten Department of Health and Human
Services regions. NNPHI supports national public health system
initiatives and strengthens public health institutes to promote
multi sector activities resulting in measurable improvements of
public health structures, systems, and outcomes. NNPHI also serves
as the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training –
NCCPHT. To learn more about NNPHI, visit nnphi.org.
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is a 501(c)(3)
organization and is the sole national accrediting body for public
health in the U.S. PHAB supports health departments in their work
to serve their communities with many tools and resources, and helps
strengthen health department infrastructure, workforce, and data
modernization efforts to promote public health system
transformation.
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SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials