Public Health Informatics

Edward L. Baker MD, MPH

Public Health Training Center
Annual Meeting
August 2012
 Why Care About Informatics?

• Informatics is central to support and

accelerate the transformation of public health
practice in the e-health era
• Information systems are the key link between
public health practice and healthcare
• Informatics supports the business of public
health
 Strategic Drivers

1. Interconnected health system

2. Community-centered health
3. Accreditation and Quality
Improvement in Public Health
:: 4 ::
 Informatics Involves…
Conceptualization

Design

Development

Implementation

Evaluation

Maintenance

Public Health Information Systems

Disease Outbreak Cancer Risk Factor New Born

Reporting Management Registries Surveillance Screening
 Goal of Informatics

Getting the right information, to

the right person, at the right
time to support them doing
something constructive to
advance health
Paper Kills

Paper
conceals
information
 Leadership Planning and Priority Setting
Coordination Vision Strategic Implementation Secure
Assessment Planning Plan & Budget Funding

Integrated County/Region/State Health Information System

Census Individual
Records Dashboards
Extract
Queries
Vitals Program Validate
Records Reports
Integrate Integration
Engine Alerts
Pop’l Surveillance
Surveys Data Events

Policies, Resources, Processes

 Informatics is not IT
Informatics:
• Describes the information requirements
• Understands the users
• Designs the information solutions to:
• Link program performance measures to
information tools used to support the program
PH Systems Require More Than IT

Technology Content Processes Workforce

Information
Systems
What Public Health Informatics Needs to Do

Put simply, we should help by:

1. making data sharable  interoperability
2. being clear about what systems must do to
be worth their cost  requirements analysis
3. sharing what we know with those who need
to know it  knowledge management
 Practice of Public Health Informatics

• Structuring data in ways that correctly convey

their meaning
• Translate program needs into technology
guidance and/or designs that lead to systems
that work
• Aid in the sharing and dissemination of health
knowledge
 Data Life Cycle and
Workforce Needs

Data Data Data Data Data

Storage & Analysis
Definition Capture Transport Mngt & Use
 Workforce Competencies

 Defining Information Needs

 Understanding the IT life cycle
 Understanding critical success factors
 Achieving interoperability
 Stakeholder communications
 Existing Training Programs and Resources

• UIC
• UW
• Emory
• UNC
• PHII
• Other?
 Training Resources
• Public Health Informatics Institute
– Informatics for Public Health Managers
– Informatics for Surveillance Epidemiologists
 Public Health Informatics Academy
(Under development)

– Overview of Public Health Informatics

– Information Technology Lifecycle
– Defining Information Needs
– Achieving Interoperability
– Stakeholder Communications
The IT Lifecycle
 Defining Your Information Needs
• Collaborative Requirements Development
Methodology
• Business Process Analysis
• Business Process Redesign
• Information Requirements Definition
 Collaborative Requirements Development
Methodology
• http://www.phiicrdm.org/methodology
 Enterprise Performance Lifecycle
e?
m ev • Functional
• Justify • Business
e • Business case
hi Process d? Requirements
st • Value analysis ac Analysis ne • Requirement
Sy • Lifecycle cost t it • Process sig Specifications
analysis Redesign • Logical Design
is us • Measurable de • Physical Design
Th m outcomes and it
Do t objectives is
hy ha w
W W Ho

© 2012 Public Health Informatics Institute

 Enterprise Performance Lifecycle

• Market of • Component, • Go-live

products – does ng system & conversion
anyone make ni integration e planning
what you need? testing • Go-live schedule
• Market analysis ai • Stakeholder Us • Productive Use
• Build options? Tr Analysis – e • Evaluation of
• Decision communications system impact
& plan & training tiv
plan
Buy? ng • Train as
uc
or sti determined in od
the plans
Build Te Pr

© 2012 Public Health Informatics Institute

 Informatics Involves…
Conceptualization
Conceptualization
Design
Design
Development
Development
Implementation
Implementation
Evaluation
Evaluation
Maintenance
Maintenance

Public
PublicHealth
HealthInformation
InformationSystems
Systems

Disease Outbreak Cancer Risk Factor New Born

Disease Outbreak Cancer Risk Factor New Born
Reporting Management Registries Surveillance Screening
Reporting Management Registries Surveillance Screening

© 2012 Public Health Informatics Institute

 Open Discussion

Future Directions
PHTC Collaboration?