How can IT simplify health data research and reporting?

Challenge

Current public health data reporting processes are largely manual and resource intensive. In recent years, there have been rapid advancements in health IT and standards that underpin electronic health record (EHR) systems and health information exchange; however, these advancements have not been broadly applied for the purposes of public health data reporting and research.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) seek to save lives and improve health by leveraging modern health IT capabilities to make EHR data more available for research and public health, and transform how clinical data are collected, used, and shared.

Solution

Westat, in partnership with the CDC and AHRQ, will test improved methods in support of public health data reporting and research through electronic data exchange and automated, interoperable processes.

Westat is undertaking the real-world implementation and testing of an HL7^® FHIR^®-based approach to public health data reporting across three different pilot studies: hepatitis C, cancer registry, and health care survey data.

Westat is recruiting clinical sites to participate in the pilots, providing technical expertise and support as they implement the FHIR^®-based approach, and evaluating how it compares with current data exchange and reporting processes.

Result

The goal of the pilots is to automate the exchange of clinical data through the use of a common technical infrastructure based on relevant health data and exchange standards. Successful execution of the pilots will enhance national public health reporting efforts, improving the timeliness and quality of data while decreasing provider and patient burden. Findings from the pilots will inform the refinement of the technical infrastructure and future CDC data modernization efforts.