Public Health Informatics

Hello!

We have an opportunity to provide feedback about national health data policy to ensure that public health labs have a seat at the table. 

The ask:

ONC is releasing a guidance document about public health data exchange and is asking the public health community for feedback/comments on this document. APHL Informatics Program is collecting feedback and will need our responses before end of day Friday January 19^th, 2024.

• Review this document: Draft Public Health Exchange Purpose Educational Guidance for Feedback_12.18.2023.pdf (also attached)
• Share your feedback using this link: Feedback Form 

Background:

TEFCA is federal policy/rules that are guiding national health data exchange. It's a key part of the 21st Century Cures Act and has both technical and legal provisions for data exchange. Learn more about TEFCA: TEFCA PH webinar_12.18.23.pdf 

This DRAFT guidance document addresses both how public health will interact with national networks of providers and what public health projects ONC plans on working on. 

Why this matters:

Currently, public health lab data exchange with providers and patients is costly and resource-intensive. TEFCA aims to address health data exchange at a national level by providing single versus multiple point-to-point data connections and standardizing data exchange (while allowing for state and local policies around public health data). This will lower the bar to participation for public health and will (ideally) lead to improved data quality, increased efficiency and patient engagement. To quote former CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, "We're spending too much time reinventing the wheel, negotiating data use agreements, building interfaces, and establishing security, and that work is ongoing even as we speak to try and improve our data systems." She goes on to say, "TEFCA presents us an opportunity and a means to advance towards our strategic objectives and accelerate nationwide connectivity in ways we have never had before."

My personal $0.02 is that the global picture about TEFCA is pretty clear: providers and health systems are participating in these national networks and there's a great deal of promise that TEFCA will improve access to and exchange of critical health information. But I'm not clear about the local picture when it comes to public health labs. How will we (actually) participate? When will public health laboratory use cases be identified and worked on? How will this actually benefit the patients and communities we serve?

I'm hopeful you can lend us your ideas (or questions, comments, suggestions, etc.) about how public health labs fit into this vision. 

Thank you! 

Laurel 

References:

https://www.hcinnovationgroup.com/interoperability-hie/trusted-exchange-framework-and-common-agreement-tefca/news/21295708/cdc-director-walensky-on-the-importance-of-tefca-to-public-health

------------------------------
Laurel Boyd, MPH
Vice Chair, APHL Informatics Committee
Laboratory Data Systems Informatician
OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY
Public Health Division
Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
Laurel.Boyd@oha.oregon.gov
Cell: 971-470-5539 | Fax: 503-693-5602
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

------------------------------

Hello!

We have an opportunity to provide feedback about national health data policy to ensure that public health labs have a seat at the table. 

The ask:

ONC is releasing a guidance document about public health data exchange and is asking the public health community for feedback/comments on this document. APHL Informatics Program is collecting feedback and will need our responses before end of day Friday January 19^th, 2024.

• Review this document: Draft Public Health Exchange Purpose Educational Guidance for Feedback_12.18.2023.pdf (also attached)
• Share your feedback using this link: Feedback Form 

Background:

TEFCA is federal policy/rules that are guiding national health data exchange. It's a key part of the 21st Century Cures Act and has both technical and legal provisions for data exchange. Learn more about TEFCA: TEFCA PH webinar_12.18.23.pdf 

This DRAFT guidance document addresses both how public health will interact with national networks of providers and what public health projects ONC plans on working on. 

Why this matters:

Currently, public health lab data exchange with providers and patients is costly and resource-intensive. TEFCA aims to address health data exchange at a national level by providing single versus multiple point-to-point data connections and standardizing data exchange (while allowing for state and local policies around public health data). This will lower the bar to participation for public health and will (ideally) lead to improved data quality, increased efficiency and patient engagement. To quote former CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, "We're spending too much time reinventing the wheel, negotiating data use agreements, building interfaces, and establishing security, and that work is ongoing even as we speak to try and improve our data systems." She goes on to say, "TEFCA presents us an opportunity and a means to advance towards our strategic objectives and accelerate nationwide connectivity in ways we have never had before."

My personal $0.02 is that the global picture about TEFCA is pretty clear: providers and health systems are participating in these national networks and there's a great deal of promise that TEFCA will improve access to and exchange of critical health information. But I'm not clear about the local picture when it comes to public health labs. How will we (actually) participate? When will public health laboratory use cases be identified and worked on? How will this actually benefit the patients and communities we serve?

I'm hopeful you can lend us your ideas (or questions, comments, suggestions, etc.) about how public health labs fit into this vision. 

Thank you! 

Laurel 

References:

https://www.hcinnovationgroup.com/interoperability-hie/trusted-exchange-framework-and-common-agreement-tefca/news/21295708/cdc-director-walensky-on-the-importance-of-tefca-to-public-health

------------------------------
Laurel Boyd, MPH
Vice Chair, APHL Informatics Committee
Laboratory Data Systems Informatician
OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY
Public Health Division
Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
Laurel.Boyd@oha.oregon.gov
Cell: 971-470-5539 | Fax: 503-693-5602
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

------------------------------