Section Overview 

This section provides guidance for constructing a strong value case that can gain buy-in for your new surveillance program from stakeholders inside and outside your agency. It helps you establish the programmatic and cost justification for EHR-based surveillance, which requires describing the health problem, the information needed to address the problem and the benefits that your agency, data suppliers and other community partners will experience.

This section also provides guidance and examples for building a logic model to help ensure a thorough examination and articulation of all the elements of the surveillance program—-such as the inputs, outputs and outcomes—-that will support planning and subsequent evaluation.

Questions addressed in this section:

• What public health problem does the proposed program address?
• How do you best articulate the value case for your partners and senior leaders within the context of your agency’s priorities?
• Who among your community partners are natural allies or supporters of the outcomes you want to achieve?
• What are the outcomes, outputs, rules, inputs, etc. that could build a logic model for your program?
• How do you identify and document hidden costs of system development and maintenance?

Likely stakeholders and participants:

• Senior and programmatic public health leadership
• Clinical health care representatives likely to be data suppliers
• Community groups, health advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders with an interest in the surveillance area of interest