HIMSSCast: Perspectives on Improving CDC’s Data Exchange Capabilities

in a recent op-ed for Healthcare IT NewsEddie Ades writes about the need for significant change in the way the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects and communicates public health data.

That goal will “require technical and operational transformation” of the agency, said Ades, executive advisor to Booz Allen Hamilton and former associate director of the CDC.

“The goal is simple: learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure that future health threats are addressed swiftly and in a coordinated manner,” they write. “Assessing emerging public health threats and formulating a response require a clear perspective on data from federal, state and local sources.”

We spoke with Aedes to get his perspective on recent changes to CDC and how he envisions its future data exchange capabilities.

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talking points:

• The greatest strength of the CDC.

• its biggest challenges, particularly with respect to data – and how the pandemic highlighted those limits.

• Efforts are underway at the agency to re-focus on interoperability and data exchange.

• Other priorities that could help rebuild public trust in the CDC.

• In a “race against time” to modernize CDC data, here’s what needs to happen to ensure the country is ready for the next pandemic.

More information about this episode:

In an era of public health threats, CDC modernization is a race against time
ONC, CDC seek to fix broken public health system exposed by COVID-19
Leidos Partners with Accenture to Provide CDC Cloud Modernization
Federal agencies provide update on TEFCA, interoperability milestones
Hospitals Will Resume Sending COVID-19 Data to the CDC
From the White House to Hospitals: Bypass the CDC, Report COVID-19 Data Directly to HHS
CDC official on hospital pandemic surveillance: ‘Reduce manual procedures’