Implementation Center Initiative Ramps Up Support for Public Health Agency Data Modernization
September 25, 2024
Overview
The CDC’s new Data Modernization Implementation Center Program offers public health agencies funding and support to accelerate adoption of the latest health IT standards and expand participation in data exchange networks. The program emphasizes projects that take advantage of the Trusted Exchange Framework network (TEFCA) and that leverage improved data interoperability standards. Public health agencies now can submit proposed data modernization projects for potential program support. By reducing the burden of data exchange, the program aims to improve the timely detection of public health threats and to promote more inclusive data access for population health.
Through its Data Modernization Initiative (DMI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is making a multibillion dollar investment to modernize data collection and exchange across the federal and state public health landscape. The DMI emphasizes improved access to vital public health data categories, such as disease case reports made electronically by hospitals to public health (electronic case reports (ECR)), along with immunization reporting by state registries that helps measure vaccination rates and coverage. The DMI also promotes improved accessibility of data and expanded discoverability on a nationwide basis. CDC is working with the Department of Health and Human Services to help ensure that TEFCA’s exchange network supports public health’s ability to query healthcare providers nationwide for relevant case investigation and more complete population health data. TEFCA’s deployment also emphasizes a phased adoption of the HL7 Fast Health Care Interoperability (FHIR) standard’s improved capabilities to support more precise and fully automated health data discovery.
The recent launch of the CDC’s Implementation Center Program marks another important step towards widespread adoption of these essential foundations of data modernization—and an opportunity for public health agencies to become frontline adopters with significant federal support for proposed projects.
What is the Data Modernization Implementation Center Program?
The Data Modernization Implementation Center Program (“IC Program”) is a three-year, $255 million initiative by the CDC through the Public Health Infrastructure Grant. The IC Program is designed to provide resources and support to public health agencies that undertake projects that adopt the latest health IT standards and that participate in data exchange networks. This program is operated nationally by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI), and the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).
The IC Program is anchored by three Centers that will provide customized resources and support for agencies’ data modernization projects. A fourth Center will launch later in 2024 to support tribal health agencies and tribal-serving organizations. The Centers will offer participating agencies support on technology, legal, governance, process and workforce issues.
The IC Program is soliciting initial expressions of interest from potentially eligible public health agencies for a first wave of up to thirty projects. Over the course of this three-year project, additional project waves will follow this initial 2024 wave. While potential financial support for proposed projects will vary, the maximum award is $750,000.
The deadline for expressions of interest for projects in the first wave is October 15.
What aspects of data modernization does the IC Program emphasize?
While participating agencies will have broad latitude to propose projects, the IC Program emphasizes use cases that involve two core public health data types in the DMI: Electronic Case Reporting and immunization data exchange. For these core data types, the IC Project focuses on two possible objectives: (1) exchange using the latest health IT exchange standards, such as through FHIR or the latest version of HL7 for immunization data exchange; or (2) data exchange that takes place within the TEFCA exchange network and through one of TEFCA’s Qualified Health Information Networks.
The IC Program also intends not just to support the latest data modernization standards, but also to promote broad dissemination of lessons learned for the benefit of non-participating agencies and the public health data ecosystem. More generally, the IC Program encourages projects that incorporate data equity goals and address population disparities, consistent with federal objectives for Health Equity by Design.
How can public health agencies take advantage of the IC Program?
Agencies interested in submitting expressions of interest for projects by the October 15 deadline should review the IC Project main site, detailed FAQ, and Interest Portal, which detail eligibility and expected supporting documentation. Where agencies are considering projects that envision data exchange through TEFCA, agencies can begin working with their counsel to gain greater familiarity with the core materials governing the TEFCA framework—principally, the Common Agreement Version 2.0, Exchange Purpose, and Public Health Implementation Standard Operating Procedures. ASTHO’s recent FAQ on TEFCA also provides additional helpful guidance.
This post was written by Charles Curran, Deputy Director, Mid-States Region, Network for Public Health Law.
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