The pandemic has underscored the need for data infrastructure modernization at health departments. In collaboration with the CDC, PHII is providing guidance and support to public health jurisdictions on developing data modernization plans, as well as improving informatics infrastructure and workforce capacity. Activities include facilitating a data modernization learning community, providing planning resources and coordinating a workshop for data modernization leads.
Data modernization Resources

Data Modernization Learning Community

The Data Modernization learning community calls consist of peer-to-peer presentations on data modernization successes and challenges with the chance to collaborate with peers from other jurisdictions. Data modernization resources and planning materials are available for DMI leads through the project collaboration workspace, Circle. The workspace houses meeting materials and recordings, documents and files, and facilitates interactive conversations through the use of message boards and forums. 

Data Modernization Workshop

For our third year, PHII, in coordination with CDC, will host a virtual workshop for DMI Directors, their teams and designated public health partners on September 12-14. This three-day virtual event will build upon the workshops held in 2021 and 2022, and strives to enhance jurisdictions’ technical skills and ability to form equity-centered connections that progress modernization ideas and aspirations among people and across systems. We plan to create a highly interactive experience focused on amplifying connections and content-sharing capacities.

Data Modernization Planning Toolkit

The toolkit supports Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) in planning data modernization ventures at health departments. It is not an implementation plan, as each jurisdiction’s data modernization projects will differ. Instead, it is a guide to build leadership and partner buy-in for data modernization work and to assist health departments in developing plans that prioritize data modernization activities.

DMI Stories from the Field

What does data modernization look like in practice? These innovative stories collected from around the country highlight how some high-achieving states and jurisdictions approached their data modernization journeys. Their stories shed some light on the path forward, providing inspiration—as well as actionable tools—to those looking to follow in their footsteps.

Data for Action Initiative

As an extension of their Data Modernization Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has partnered with the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII) to convene a group of public health partners across the public health landscape to start a discussion surrounding “Data for Action” and what it might entail.

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.