Birth Defects Surveillance

Many state and territorial birth defects programs need guidance to increase their informatics knowledge to implement interoperable Birth Defects Surveillance (BDS) systems that lead to enhanced individual and population health.

In collaboration with CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), PHII is working with public health jurisdictions to strengthen the capacity of existing BDS programs to respond to emerging threats to mothers and babies. This increased capacity results from helping programs improve timeliness of surveillance data, leverage electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability capabilities to enhance BDS, and use the surveillance data to improve health outcomes of affected populations.

Birth Defects Surveillance Resources

Birth Defects Surveillance Readiness Assessment

This assessment helps birth defects programs determine your readiness for automated electronic data exchange using health information standards. It provides an approach for program staff to assess, identify and discuss information needs with internal and external partners. Participating in this assessment will give program staff a clearer understanding of success factors and the agency’s current capabilities.

Talking Points for Promoting Interoperability with Birth Defects Surveillance

These talking points should help public health professionals communicate with your leadership and colleagues on why interoperability is important to Birth Defects Surveillance (BDS) programs.

Webinar series

PHII and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have produced a webinar series that includes:

Interoperability 101 for Birth Defects Surveillance

First in a four-part series: Introduces the topic of interoperability and defines key terms with examples for BDS programs. PHII’s Lura Daussat and CDC's Laura Pabst highlight trends, policies and initiatives that may impact leadership buy-in and resources for these programs.

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Achieving Interoperability: Practical Lessons Learned

Second in a four-part series: Provides resources from Michigan and Georgia jurisdictions moving toward interoperability with their BDS programs. Speakers tell about the successes and challenges of modernizing their surveillance programs.

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An Overview of Data Modernization Efforts & Deep Dive into Electronic Case Reporting

Third in a four-part series: Gives an overview of CDC’s data modernization efforts and aligning with BDS interoperability. Also offers guidance on incorporating electronic case reporting (eCR) into BDS interoperability.

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Overview of Public Health Interoperability Initiatives and a State's Perspective

Final in a four-part series: Examines resources from Tennessee and Michigan jurisdictions as they move toward interoperability with their BDS programs. Speakers discuss the successes and challenges of modernizing their surveillance programs.

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More webinars

Interoperability for BDS: A Readiness Assessment Tool

Examines how to conduct an assessment using this CDC-funded tool. Guidance is targeted toward recipients of CDC’s birth surveillance cooperative agreement. Provides background on building interoperability capability for any BDS program.

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Breaking Down the Silos

Highlights experiences, best practices and challenges from public health programs that are achieving interoperability initiatives by breaking down silos. Includes guest presenters from Rhode Island, Iowa and CDC's National Center of Vital Statistics.

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A Focus on Business Process Analysis and System Requirements

Explores public health programs documenting their business processes and gathering requirements to achieve interoperability. Topics include our Collaborative Requirements Development Methodology (CRDM).

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Interpreting Business Process and Determining Next Steps

Provides a deeper dive into the functional requirements definition for PHII’s Collaborative Requirements Development Methodology (CRDM).

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Note: These materials were developed in support of Cooperative Agreement number 6-NU38OT000316, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Resource contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services.

For questions about Birth Defects Surveillance (BDS) resources on this page, please contact us.

PHII is a program of The Task Force for Global Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded as The Task Force for Child Survival in 1984. The Task Force is affiliated with Emory University.