Public Health Informatics

Community Update: Summary of CDC & APHL Cooperative Agreement Performance Report

Dear PHL Informatics Community,

I wanted to share a brief overview of the recently released 2.5-Year Performance Summary Report for the CDC & APHL Cooperative Agreement OE20-2001, covering activities from July 2020 to December 2022. This agreement has been crucial in enhancing public health laboratory (PHL) capabilities and increasing capacity across various focus areas.

Key Highlights:

• Cooperative Agreement Overview:

  • The OE20-2001 agreement between CDC and APHL focuses on improving PHL capabilities in the U.S. and globally.
  • It builds upon previous agreements to support nine critical focus areas, including informatics, infectious diseases, environmental health, and workforce development.

• Strategic Areas:

  • Science, Management, and Operations: Enhanced organizational efficiency, performance monitoring, and evaluation.
  • Policy, Partnerships, and Communications: Strengthened PHL advocacy, expanded collaborations, and disseminated key resources.
  • Training and Capacity Building: Delivered over 28,000 training opportunities and supported workforce development initiatives.
  • Laboratory Quality, Safety, and Informatics: Developed new standards and tools to improve data exchange and laboratory practices.

• Key Accomplishments:

  • Supported the CDC's Data Modernization Initiative, securing $1.275 billion in federal funding.
  • Implemented Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) across 21 Laboratory Response Network (LRN) labs.
  • Launched a new APHL Learning Center, engaging over 7,100 learners in training webinars.
  • Expanded the APHL Informatics Messaging Services (AIMS) platform for secure data exchange during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Published over 126 scientific resources and expanded social media presence to over 33,000 followers.

• Informatics Successes:

  • Enhanced the AIMS platform to support COVID-19 electronic laboratory reporting (CELR).
  • Accelerated the implementation of electronic case reporting (eCR) with the development of the eCR Now FHIR App.
  • Supported the development and implementation of PulseNet 2.0, an updated platform for foodborne disease surveillance.

• Workforce Development:

  • Launched multiple initiatives to address workforce challenges, including the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship Program and the Laboratory Leaders of Today (LLOT) program.

This summary highlights the collaborative efforts that have strengthened public health laboratories' ability to respond to health threats and improve public health outcomes. For more detailed information, you can access the full report here.

Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the comments!

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Sean Hannigan
Specialist, Informatics
sean.hannigan@aphl.org
(240) 485-2747
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