Health Information Technology
Thanks to innovations in medicine and technology, people are living longer in the United States. This means that the development, implementation, and interoperability of health information systems that improve healthcare delivery is more important than ever. Informatics — the applied science of information and computer information systems — streamlines healthcare systems to enable clearer communication between providers, expand access to and ensure continuity in care across the lifespan, and improve the public's health.
NACCHO has a number of initiatives aimed at helping local health departments advance the use of informatics and information technology at their agency. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.
Focuses on applying data and technology to support public health decisions, policies, and interventions. It enables public health professionals to track diseases, manage population health data, and respond to health emergencies more efficiently.
Key areas include:
- Disease Surveillance Systems
- Health Data Analytics
- Population Health Management
- Data Governance
An example is using informatics data systems to track and analyze the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19 and create models for public health interventions.
In public health, Health IT refers to tools and systems that collect, store, and transmit health information securely. It includes technologies like electronic public health disease reporting, interoperability systems, and data-sharing platforms that ensure public health agencies have access to real-time health data.
Key areas include:
- Public Health Reporting Systems
- Health Information Exchanges (HIEs)
- Telehealth
- Cybersecurity
- Electronic Health Record Systems (EHRs)
An example is implementing an electronic record system that allows public health agencies to collect data from hospitals in real-time for better disease outbreak monitoring.
| Aspects | Public Health Informatics | Health IT in Public Health |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Analyzing population-level data to improve public health outcomes | Building and managing technical systems that ensure data exchange and security |
| Professionals | Public Health Informaticians, data scientists, epidemiologists | IT specialists, system architects, data security experts |
| Main Objective | Data-driven public health decisions and interventions | Efficient and secure management of health data systems and infrastructure |
| Examples | Disease Surveillance and modeling | Electronic Health Record Systems (EHRs) |
NACCHO previously held its Public Health Informatics (PHI) Conference every two years until 2018, after which, the topic of public health informatics became an additional session track during NACCHO 360, NACCHO's annual conference, known as PHIITS.
Sara Alert™ is a standards-based, open source software tool that automates the process of public health active symptom monitoring, enabling jurisdictions to use resources more efficiently to conduct large-scale monitoring efforts. It was developed by public health experts for public health, and NACCHO leadership served as a critical partner in its development and implementation.