CDC in collaboration with CSTE, ASTHO, NACCHO and PHII CLASS III

CDC in collaboration with CSTE, ASTHO, NACCHO and PHII CLASS III

Public Health Informatics The emerging field of public health informatics is continually growing and gaining importance in public health practice. Public health informatics at the state and local level includes projects to develop information management and flow in order to improve internal and external decisions. It can also be described as working to get the right information to the right person at the right time. Informatics can help public health agencies create information systems to produce actionable information for public health interventions. Public health informaticians are often the link between public health programs and those who develop and maintain information systems. The Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (APHIF) is designed to give fellows an accelerated training experience and on-the-job training at health departments in preparation for a career as public health informaticians at the state or local level. APHIF is one of three fellowship programs as part of Project SHINE (Strengthening Health Systems through Interprofessional Education). Project SHINE is supported by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII), and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is an emphasis on Interprofessional Education (IPE) to build health department and fellow capacity to improve population health through health systems integration. The Project SHINE vision is to illuminate pathways for professionals, organizations, and communities to achieve a collective, transformative, and sustainable impact on population health. APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS FELLOWSHIP The fellowship is designed for doctoral or masters level graduates in informatics or a related field who are interested in the practice of public health at the state or local level. Fellows are matched to host agencies based on the interests of the fellow and available opportunities of the host site. Fellows develop a comprehensive set of core skills through applied competency-based training and experiences.

PROGRAM MISSION To meet the nation s increasing and urgent need for applied public health informatics workforce capacity in state and local health departments through a national fellowshiptraining program. The fellowship will focus on three key concepts: Provide an accelerated learning experience to train a core group of public health workers Strengthen capacity in applied public health informatics across public health institutions Provide service to the sponsoring agency TRAINING APHIF offers an opportunity to acquire and develop public health informatics skills during a high-quality, on-the-job training program in public health practice. Fellows work closely with highly trained and experienced informaticists, epidemiologists and public health practitioners at the state and local level, as well as those working at the federal level with the CDC. INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION Interprofessional Education (IPE) is an experience that occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other. 1 The goal of IPE is to prepare health professionals to deliberately work together with the common goal of improving population/ community health and patient-centered care within the U.S. health care system. The three aims of IPE are: 1) to achieve better patient care; 2) to achieve better health outcomes; and 3) to achieve more efficient and affordable educational and health care systems. 2 Public health and health care data are critical to achieving these three aims and informaticians are uniquely positioned to improve population health by using IPE skills to foster collaboration between public health and primary care partners in the community. MENTOR AND HOST HEALTH AGENCY Each Applied Public Health Informatics Fellow is assigned to a designated host health agency and two highly trained and experienced mentors (primary and secondary mentors). Health agencies approved to host a fellow will have the demonstrated capacity to provide a fellow with technical training, applied research opportunities, and opportunities to apply public health informatics in a practical setting. 1 World Health Organization. (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/who_hrh_hpn_10.3_eng.pdf. 2 Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2013). Interprofessional education for collaboration: Learning how to improve health from interprofessional models across the continuum of education to practice: Workshop summary.

APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH FELLOWSHIP REQUIREME ELIGIBILITY To be eligible to be an APHIF Fellow, applicants must meet the following application criteria: 1. A doctoral or master s level degree is required. Qualifying degree must be from an accredited academic institution in one of the following: Public health informatics or other health related informatics discipline Epidemiology Statistics Computer science, information science, information systems Public health, medicine, nursing, healthcare, health policy, or health-services research 2. Desire to pursue a long-term career at the state or local level 3. United States citizenship or permanent resident AND All candidates must meet the above criteria as well as one of the following:

INFORMATICS NTS 4a. A certificate issued by a degree-granting institution in public health informatics or master s or doctoral-level coursework in public health informatics OR OR 4b. Demonstrated academic or professional expertise in four (4) of the public health informatics competencies listed below: Developing strategic direction for public health informatics within an agency Estimating the impact of technology modifications on program operations and staff workflows Managing IT operations related to a public health project or program Conducting business process analysis and system requirements documentation Evaluating public health information systems Developing or evaluating knowledge management tools Upgrading information systems to be more standards-based and interoperable Ensuring confidentiality of health information or the security of public health information systems Integrating information or information systems to support improved practice in public health or health care

Jay S. Bala, MPH Place of Birth: Simi Valley, CA Highest Degree Obtained: MPH, Global Health, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Host Site: New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Primary Mentor: Rebecca T. Gluskin, MS, PhD Secondary Mentor: Jian Liu, MS Future plans after the fellowship: With the tools developed from the fellowship, I plan to continue working in public health informatics to facilitate meaningful and productive communication among Health Providers, IT Staff, Public Health workers and Basic Scientists. I plan to positively impact public health by facilitating cross-disciplinary conversations to influence policy and find sustainable solutions for common obstacles in public health. Why you chose the APHIF Program: APHIF implements an approach of learn-by-doing at health departments which is unique and resonated with how I wanted to learn informatics. Coming from a global health and basic science background, I chose the fellowship for the opportunity to use my past experiences while contributing to impactful informatics projects. Additionally, because my fellowship is nested within a larger informatics fellowship, there are opportunities for peer mentorship and learning from a national network. Overall, APHIF was the perfect match for me based on the potential host sites and projects, its continuing professional education opportunities, and on-the-job informatics training. Melissa Callaham, MSPH Place of Birth: St. Louis, MO Highest Degree Obtained: MSPH, Quality Improvement, University of North Carolina Certifications/Credentials: Health Informatics and Global Health Certificate, UNC Host Site: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Primary Mentor: Megan Davies, MD Secondary Mentor: Emilie Lamb, MSPH Future plans after the fellowship: Utilizing the skills that I have built in the APHIF fellowship and previous work experiences, I hope to continue working in the field of public health informatics. Specifically, I would like to work at the intersection of policy and implementation in public service or non-profit work. I am passionate about improving population health outcomes, quality of care and information provided to decision-makers through the use of health technology. Why you chose the APHIF Program: I chose the APHIF program because it is a great opportunity to apply my experiences working with community health centers and surveillance in developing countries to public health informatics. The wide variety of opportunities offered by the different host sites enabled me to find the best fit for my skills and future career goals. Additionally, the fellowship provides excellent training, on-site mentoring and professional development opportunities.

Kelly A. Gerard, MS Place of Birth: Phoenix, AZ Highest Degree Obtained: MS, Health Informatics, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center Certifications/Credentials: Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Host Site: Denver Public Health Primary Mentor: Arthur Davidson, MD, MSPH Secondary Mentor: Dean McEwen, MBA Future plans after the fellowship: My goal is to secure long-term career placement at a public health agency either at the local or state level. After the fellowship, I hope to continue my career in public health as a public health leader and public health informatics expert. I plan to use my knowledge of information systems that improve information management and flow in order to provide reliable, relevant, and timely information to improve key indicators of health, like preventive care, chronic disease control, and timely access to care. Why you chose the APHIF Program: As a recent graduate with a MS in Health Informatics (MSHI), I chose to apply for this fellowship because I am interested in a career as a public health informatician. I believe a fellowship provides an excellent opportunity to develop public health informatics skills and expertise. The Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship (APHIF) Program facilitates the attainment of competencies that are specific to public health informatics through applied training and experiences. Technical training, applied research opportunities, and application of public health informatics competencies in a practical setting led me to consider this fellowship opportunity. Ekaette Joseph-Isang, MD Place of Birth: Lagos, Nigeria Highest Degree Obtained: M.B.B.Ch, Medicine and Surgery, University of Calabar Certifications/Credentials: Health Information Technology, ICD-9 Host Site: Kentucky Department for Public Health Primary Mentor: Doug Thoroughman, PhD, MS Secondary Mentor: Matthew Groenewold, PhD, MSPH Future plans after the fellowship: After the fellowship, I plan to work in a public health organization as a liaison between public health practitioners and IT personnel on informatics programs that will improve population health and health outcomes. I look forward as well to mentoring clinicians and public health professionals who are interested in the study and practice of informatics. Why you chose the APHIF Program: I chose the APHIF program because of the hands on training in a setting that is similar to the same one I expect to function in at the end of the program. Informatics is multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary and the APHIF program is set up to have an individualized approach where the format and content is structured to a specific fellows needs. With a background in clinical and preventive medicine, I am allowed to participate in structuring my learning to fit my career goals.

Kayode C. Olupinyo, DVM, ASN, CEHRS, HIM&ES Place of Birth: Nigeria Highest Degree Obtained: Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Certifications/Credentials: Certified Electronic Health Informatics Specialist, Health Information Management, Exchange Specialist Host Site: Tennessee Department of Health Primary Mentor: Erin Holt, MPH Secondary Mentor: John Roberts, MS Future plans after the fellowship: My hope after this fellowship is to be employed in an informatics related organization especially at the federal, state or local level where I can contribute to population health informatics policy, health information exchange and interoperability. I also plan to seek a leadership role in order to mentor interested and aspiring public health informaticians and engage in applied health informatics projects. In addition, it is possible that I will pursue a PhD in an informatics related specialization. Why you chose the APHIF Program: After perusing through the core competencies of the APHIF fellowship, I decided this program is a good fit for me, especially with the opportunity to have a hands on experience with those who are already in the field. With my professional and educational trainings both in Veterinary Medicine, nursing, public health and in medical informatics, I was eagerly looking for opportunities where high-quality on the job training experience will be provided and where informatics will be applied to population health. APHIF provided just that. Being posted at a state health department to work with mentors who have been successful in the field of public health informatics was a wonderful opportunity for me. Yi Ou, MPH Place of Birth: Guangzhou, China Highest Degree Obtained: MPH, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, University of Michigan Host Site: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Primary Mentor: Henry Anderson, MD, MPH Secondary Mentor: Milda Aksamitauskas, MPP Future plans after the fellowship: I hope to continue working within governmental sectors as an epidemiologist or public health informatician while applying the fellowship s informatics-based competencies to make meaningful contributions to the integration of information technology into public health. Why you chose the APHIF Program: I chose the Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship program to learn more about how public health information systems operate at state and local health departments. The fellowship allows me to gain knowledge and a hands-on skill set in public health informatics under the guidance from supportive mentors. It also affords me an opportunity to challenge myself and approach health informatics issues from different perspectives. Most importantly, the fellowship provides an invaluable experience, complemented by professional development and networking opportunities that will serve as an applicable transition into my career in health informatics.

Patric V. Prado, MPH Place of Birth: Arlington, VA Highest Degree Obtained: MPH, Public Health Informatics, Columbia University Certifications/Credentials: Certified in Public Health, CPH Host Site: Washington State Department of Health Primary Mentor: Bryant T Karras, MD Secondary Mentor: Neil Abernethy, PhD Future plans after the fellowship: After the fellowship, I plan to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Informatics to obtain additional education on topics relevant to the future of Public Health Informatics. I want to lead the wave of new research and methods with application to Public Health. Why you chose the APHIF Program: I chose the program in order to gain some awareness of the current capacity, methods, and political maneuvering present in the informatics department of a health department. I will use this experience to inform my future goals as well as where I want to focus my future PhD work. Jennifer Vahora, MPH Place of Birth: Seattle, WA Highest Degree Obtained: MPH, General Epidemiology, University of Michigan Certifications: Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics Host Site: Illinois Department of Public Health and Northwestern University Primary Mentor: Abel Kho, MD, MS Secondary Mentor: Stacey Hoferka, MPH, MSIS Future plans after the fellowship: I would like to continue working in governmental public health as an epidemiologist or public health informatician. Why you chose the APHIF Program: I chose the Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program because it allowed me to further my knowledge and skillset in public health informatics with support and guidance from mentors and fellowship partner organizations. The program offered me the opportunity to participate in a partnership between a state health department and an academic institution. I will be able to conduct research that will be applied to public health practice and policy development.

Daniel M. Weglein, MD, MPH Place of Birth: Bridgeport, CT Highest Degree Obtained: MD, University of Pittsburgh Host Site: Virginia Department of Health Primary Mentor: Laurie Forlano, DO, MPH Secondary Mentor: Jeff Stover, MPH Future plans after the fellowship: I plan to continue working in a public health agency whether Federal, State, or local preferably working to harness big data systems such as EMR systems or claims databases to improve health outcomes and reign in health care spending. Why you chose the APHIF Program: A common theme in all my work whether public health, clinical practice, or health care administration has been the possibilities and challenges of using electronic information for the betterment of population health. I chose the fellowship to give myself dedicated time to become more expert in the technical aspects of health IT, so that I can then apply those skills in the practice of public health. Allison R. Young, MPH Place of Birth: Charlotte, NC Highest Degree Obtained: MPH, Health Behavior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Certifications/Credentials: Public Health Informatics Host Site: Orange County Health Department, Hillsborough, North Carolina Primary Mentor: Colleen Bridger, PhD Secondary Mentor: Michael Fliss, MSW Future plans after the fellowship: In the future, I plan to utilize the skills and lessons I have learned through my fellowship to build local health department capacity for identifying and addressing public health concerns. My overall goal is to improve the utilization of geographic information and public health surveillance systems within local help departments to create meaningful stories about community health. I have a special interest in building business intelligence dashboards to examine public health trends. Ultimately, it is my hope that these systems will equip local health departments with the knowledge and evidence necessary to develop strong public health programs and policies. Why you chose the APHIF Program: The Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship has offered me an opportunity to use the skills I acquired as a masters student while also helping me grow and prepare for a future career in local public health. The strong mentorship opportunities and structured curriculum offered through this program supply me with invaluable on-the-job training that will prepare me for a future career in public health informatics. As a bridge-building program, APHIF also provides a strong foundation for engaged collaboration and knowledge sharing across many different disciplines and public health agencies. The experience has been the perfect intersection for someone, such as myself, who appreciates working both in tech and with people.

APHIF CORE COMPETENCIES Fellows will develop a comprehensive set of core skills through competency-based training. These competencies are expected to be fulfilled during the one-year fellowship: Analysis, Assessment and Evaluation Identifies appropriate data and information sources Applies ethical principles to the collection and dissemination of data Applies data collection processes and computer systems strategies Analyzes business processes to redesign public health informatics programs Communication Develop s effective written and oral communication skills Develop s effective presentation skills of scientific information for professional and lay audiences Applies communication strategies with individuals and groups Implements communication policies and procedures Community Dimensions of Practice Establishes and maintains linkages with key stakeholders Assures data needs of program users and stakeholders are met Applies confidentiality and privacy policies for the enterprise Public Health Sciences Problem solves using knowledge of structure of public health and health care systems Appropriately utilizes software tools in support of public health data analysis Combines data from multiple sources to support public health decision making Leadership and Systems Thinking Advocates for the development of integrated, cost-effective public health information systems Applies appropriate public health informatics standards in all projects and systems APHIF PROJECTS Fellows participate in a variety of projects that offer applied learning while providing valuable service to their host health agencies. Listed below are examples of projects that Fellows have led: Central Outbreak Documentation (COD) system development Electronic Clinical Laboratory Report Standardization (ECLRS) Assessment to assess current commercial laboratory information flow and recommend steps towards interoperability and standardization. Data manager for a Dengue Fever seroprevalence survey in Martin County, FL Enhanced queries of case notes to assist in the identification of outbreaks and clusters and common exposures leading to transmission trends. System design for generating customizable and scalable reports from the Electronic Disease Surveillance System Enterprise analysis of epidemiology information systems Short-term analysis of syndromic surveillance data for Democratic National Convention Develop a new Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) module for Public Health Laboratory Interoperability Project (PHLIP) to compile, report, and process influenza data to the CDC Influenza Division. Comparison of mapping between local codes and LOINC codes among different institutions

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