Introduction to Public Health Informatics Definitions, Approach, and Analysis Janise Richards, MS, MPH, PhD jrichards@cdc.gov
Public Health Informatics: What is it? A Definition: Public health informatics is the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research, and learning. What does that mean????
What is Public Health Informatics? A Definition: Public health informatics is the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research, and learning.
What is Public Health Informatics? Information science Theories in information science try to explain how we think, store, retrieve, and transmit information.
Information Science Wisdom Knowledge Information Information Data Data Data
Information Science Definition of Data Data = undigested observations and unvarnished facts Fact, text, graphic, image, sound Without meaningful relation to anything else A thing Cleveland, 1983
Information Science Definition of Information Information = organized data Formatted, filtered, organized, structured, interpreted, summarized data data + meaning = information Relates to a description, definition or perspective (what, who, when, where)
Information Science Definition of Knowledge Knowledge = information that has been organized, internalized and integrated with experience, study, or intuition Case, rule, process, model, ideas Rules and procedures that guide decisions and actions Information + application = knowledge Comprises of strategy, practice, method, or approach (how)
Information Science Vocabularies - A vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are part of a specific language Classifications - A classification consists of tables of subject headings and classification schedules used to assign a class number to each item being classified Taxonomies - A hierarchical taxonomy is a tree structure of classifications for a given set of objects; it may also apply to relationship schemes other than hierarchies, such as network structures.. A taxonomy might also be a simple organization of objects into groups, or even an alphabetical list. In current usage taxonomies are seen as slightly less broad than ontologies. Ontologies seek to describe the basic categories and relationsh of being or existence to define entities and types of entities within its framework.
Information Science MeSH (controlled vocabularies) Abnormalities Abnormalities, Drug Induced Abnormalities, Multiple Alagille Syndrome Angelman Syndrome Diseases Digestive System Diseases Abdominal Pain Biliary Tract Diseases Digestive System Abnormalities Digestive System Fistula Digestive System Neoplasms Esopageal Diseases Gastrointestinal Diseases Liver Diseases Pancreatic Diseases Peritoneal Diseases
Information Science-
Information Science Semantic Network (Ontology) STY T001 Organism A1.1 Generally, a living individual, including all plants and animals. Homozygote; Radiation Chimera; Transgenic Organisms orgm STY T002 Plant A1.1.1 An organism having cellulose cell walls, growing by synthesis of inorganic substances, generally distinguished by the presence of chlorophyll, and lacking the power of locomotion. Plant parts are included here as well. Pollen; Potatoes; Vegetables plnt STY T003 Alga A1.1.1.1 A chiefly aquatic plant that contains chlorophyll, but does not form embryos during development and lacks vascular tissue. Chlorella; Laminaria; Seaweed alga
What is Public Health Informatics? A Definition: Public health informatics is the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research, and learning.
What is Public Health Informatics? Computer science: Is the systematic study of algorithmic processes that describe and transform data and information including the theory, analysis, design, efficiency, implementation and application
What is Public Health Informatics? Computer science: A foundational concept in computer science is the algorithm-- a precise sequence of instructions Basically, a computer program is an executable algorithm A second foundational concept in computer science is the data structure, or an abstract representation of information
Computer Science Algorithms - is a procedure (a finite set of well-defined instructions) for accomplishing some task which, given an initial state, will terminate in a defined end-state Data models - is a concrete representation of an information model. It represents the entities, properties, relationships and operations defined in an information model in a manner that allows actual instances of those entities to be managed, manipulated, stored, operated upon and verified Natural language processing - Natural language generation systems convert information from computer databases into normal-sounding human language, and natural language understanding systems convert samples of human language into more formal representations that are easier for computer programs to manipulate Expert systems/artificial intelligence/decision support systems
Computer Science
Computer Science
What is Public Health Informatics? Information Technology: Information technology is the development and use of hardware, software, and supporting infrastructure to manage and deliver information.
Public health and informatics Informatics Public Health Public Health Informatics
Creative acts people in Informatics do formulate models for acquiring, representing, processing, displaying or transmitting health information or knowledge develop computer systems that use the models to deliver the information or knowledge install information technology systems to support the models assess outcomes regarding the effects to the overall health care system Friedman, 1995
Public Health Workforce and Informatics 3 Classes of Informatics Use of information (per se) for professional effectiveness Use of information technology for personal effectiveness Development of information systems to improve the effectiveness of the public health enterprise
Expertise level needed by Workforce Segment Advanced Moderate Basic Use of info technology increase personal effectiveness Development and management of Information systems Front-line Staff Sr.-level Technical Superv./ Managers
Public Health Workforce and Informatics Public Health Workforce 13 topical areas Digital Literacy On-line information access System development Procurement Research Electronic communication Use of information Project management Accountability Standards Databases Confidentiality and security systems Human resource management
Public Health Workforce Competency examples All staff All staff Sup./Mgmt Public Health Workforce and Informatics Utilizes information technology for full range of electronic communication appropriate to their programmatic area. Applies relevant procedures and technical means to ensure confidential information is appropriately protected. Utilizes proven informatics principles and practices when managing information technology projects. Tech-Sup./ Mgmt Participates in the development of new and enhanced databases for public health and applies principles of good database design.
Why is informatics important to public health? We can do it the hard way or the right way, but either way the application of information technology to public health practice is inevitable O Carroll, 2001
Public Health Informatics Needed approach Multidisciplinary/collaborative Systematic Applied Integrated Management Project Change
Public Health Informatics: Applications not Public Health Specific Electronic Data Collection Collaborative tools Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Visualization tools Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Decision Support Systems
Public Health Informatics: Applications Specific to Public Health Registries Electronic Lab Reporting Electronic Disease Surveillance Early Event Detection Program Monitoring and Evaluation
PHIN The Public Health Information Network
Hospital or Health Plan Public Health Lab Law Enforcement and First Responders Investigation Team Ambulatory Care Health Department CDC and Other Federal Organizations The many public health stakeholders The many data streams The need for rapid communication! Vaccination Center Early Detection Sources R X Pharmaceutical Stockpile Public
Early Event Detection BioSense, NEDSS Base System, PAM Development Platform, Call Triage and Tracking Outbreak Management Outbreak Management System Connecting Laboratory Systems Laboratory Response Network Results Messenger, LUNA Partner Communication and Alerting Partner Communication and Alerting, Epi-X Countermeasure Administration and Response Countermeasure Response Administration, VAC Man Cross Functional Components PHIN Directory, PHIN Messaging Service, PHIN Vocabulary Federal Health Architecture & Consolidated Health Informatics, NHII
National Health Information Network (NHIN) Personal/ Consumer Clinical/ Provider Public Health/ Community Research/ Policy
Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs) AKA Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) AKA Local Health Information Infrastructure Initiatives (LHIIs) Hospital or Health Plan Ambulatory Care Health Clinic Physician s Office Private and Public Health Labs Hospital or Health Plan Physician s Office Hospital or Health Plan Physician s Office Health Department Hospital or Health Plan
Common Ground Purpose: Transforming Public Health Information Systems will support state and local public health agencies' collaboration in two areas: 1) to prepare agencies to analyze and redesign their business processes; and 2) to develop collaborative requirements definitions for information systems to strengthen public health agencies that will help to improve preparedness and chronic disease prevention and control.
Transition