IIS modernization in practice

Before data modernization was coined as a term, immunization programs and their IISs demonstrated successful system integration through the development of a robust suite of specialized resources. The PHII IIS Hub, developed with support from CDC, provides a set of resources that actively guide broader public health data modernization efforts by being featured in presentations to the Data Modernization Learning Community and referenced throughout the Data Modernization Planning toolkit. By successfully utilizing these resources and sharing practical modernization examples—such as those listed below—IIS activities provide a proven, real-world template that acknowledges and celebrates their foundational role in advancing agency-wide data modernization.

Specific IIS modernization activities may include:

• Upgrading technology infrastructure: Moving from legacy, server-based systems to cloud-based infrastructure to expand scalability and improve secure access for immunization providers and other authorized IIS users. 
• Promoting modern standards, interoperability, and data quality: Promoting Modern Standards, Interoperability, and Data Quality: Implementing standards (e.g., HL7, FHIR) to facilitate data exchange between systems within a jurisdiction, such as disease surveillance systems, the IIS, and jurisdiction-specific data lakes. Other interoperability efforts may include standards-based data exchange between the IIS and immunization providers, including pharmacies, and other jurisdictional IIS and federal agencies (i.e., U.S. Department of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration) through the IZ Gateway. Promoting interoperability can be key to more complete and timely IIS data.
• Enhancing functionality: Creating, improving, and integrating functions to monitor the supply and distribution of publicly-purchased vaccines, providing mobile application access to immunization records for providers and consumers, and updating automated immunization reminder/recall systems. 
• Strengthening analytics: Developing cloud-based data systems to increase capacity and scalability. Using internal and external dashboards to quickly analyze, interpret, visualize, and act on data. 
• Applying automation and artificial intelligence (AI): Working toward AI solutions that may focus on areas such as predicting vaccine needs, identifying at-risk populations due to low immunization rates, and improving analysis of vaccine administration data to better inform immunization program interventions.
• Developing the IIS workforce: Training staff in advanced tools and analytics to maximize use of modernized systems and data.

This language aligns with descriptions outlined in PHII’s IIS sustainability toolkit design with support from CDC to help state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health agencies strengthen and sustain their IIS through funding diversification and cost reduction.

The following resources highlight IIS modernization examples occurring across the United States in many forms.