The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to rethink the way the U.S. public health system functions. It underscored the need for public health data and infrastructure to be timely, efficient, effective and equitable in its response to the next national emergency or global pandemic. To better understand how to transform public health data and infrastructure to protect health and achieve health equity, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) commissioned the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII) to conduct an environmental scan, host a series of interviews with thought leaders from the public and private sectors, and convene an advisory group to inform the development of this report and recommendations that are included herein.

The key findings are presented in two parts. The first part describes key insights thought leaders shared during interviews and advisory group meetings. The second part describes a number of initiatives and innovations thought leaders identified as laying the groundwork for transformation of public health data and infrastructure.