In today’s ever-evolving landscape of public health, timely, standardized, and aggregated health care data stands as the cornerstone of effective public health programs. As we confront new and increasingly complex threats, the imperative to modernize has never been more pressing. To stay ahead of emerging challenges, it is essential that every component of the public health ecosystem—from local communities to regional and national networks—communicates seamlessly in real time. However, achieving this level of connectivity poses significant technical hurdles for public health organizations. The existence of multiple information systems, competing standards, and diverse data formats, in addition to staff capability and capacity, creates formidable interoperability challenges.
In alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Data Modernization Initiative (DMI), an effort to modernize data across the federal and state public health landscape, Altarum has helped many U.S. states’ departments of health and human services enhance data sharing capabilities specifically through comprehensive interoperability assessments and roadmap development.
Our team employs the Altarum Interoperability Methodology (AIM). AIM is a proven methodology that consists of a systematic process that includes conducting a readiness assessment, requirements gathering (e.g., current and future desired data models), staff and organizational capacity. We have a strong foundation of hands-on experience developing Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) solutions, collaborating with major electronic health record (EHR) vendors, and working closely with interoperability standards organizations.
Our approach is flexible, tailored to meet each state’s unique needs and current position in the interoperability journey. Whether a state is just beginning to explore interoperability solutions or seeking to enhance existing systems, Altarum collaborates closely with state leadership to develop a comprehensive Interoperability Roadmap. This detailed plan provides a path forward for the state to achieve its desired interoperability goals and helps state leadership and funding sources understand and appreciate the effort needed to achieve effective and efficient data sharing.
Altarum has improved public health interoperability for many states with tangible improvements, such as streamlined data exchange processes, enhanced data quality, and increased accessibility to vital health information.
- In Kentucky, as part of the HRSA-sponsored Innovation in Newborn Screening Interoperability program (INBSI), we helped the state create a roadmap to improve the highly manual, time-intensive hospital/state lab data-sharing process for newborn dried blood spot testing and reporting. This program screens blood spots for a wide variety of inherited and congenital disorders. We put together a detailed roadmap with guidelines on how the Kentucky state lab could work with the state HIE to streamline data sharing. It was sufficiently detailed for Kentucky to engage a technology partner and hit the ground running to make successful changes, automating the data transmittal processes.
- In Tennessee, we are actively working with the Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDH) Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) to assess their current interoperability capacity and infrastructure. We are developing a set of interoperability modernization recommendations for TDH by evaluating OIA’s current electronic data exchange engines, data governance, and compliance structures. The assessment findings and recommendations, along with the workforce training we will provide, will be used to help guide immediate and longer-term TDH data modernization initiatives.
- In Washington, Altarum worked with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a focused assessment of dataflow, systems, and workflow issues. We provided technical and subject matter expertise regarding best practice electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) management and provided support for the development and implementation of technical solutions to streamline and improve current system monitoring functionality. We believe that providing our clients with the training and skills to manage their improved interoperability systems is critical for the ongoing efforts of the state. We worked with state workers to train them how to use Rhapsody and provided training to the client to support onboarding of ELRs. Altarum continues to implement solutions and is assisting the WA DOH in maintaining operation of their Covid-19 Surveillance and Informatics programs.
- In Michigan, Altarum’s assessments and architecture design resulted in the development of the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Public Health Gateway. Altarum designed, developed, and operates the public health gateway and data quality tool, which is the single point of entry for Health Level Seven (HL7) International’s Version 2 (v2) messages and Consolidated-Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) for several public health programs.
By leveraging our expertise and experience, Altarum empowers states to overcome interoperability challenges and advance their public health data management capabilities, ultimately contributing to the overarching goals of the CDC’s DMI and improving health outcomes for communities nationwide.
Data is the oxygen that powers our ability to detect and respond to threats to health and we are at a pivotal moment in the modernization of the public health data infrastructure.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, CDC Director