Page 18 - Driving Public Health in the Fast Lane

Infographics

The Public Health Data Superhighway

When thinking about an interoperable public health data superhighway,

consider an interstate highway. What are the characteristics of an interstate

highway that allows different cars to get to different destinations?

• The interstate highway provides a common infrastructure for rapid, efficient movement of cars
regardless of the destination;

• The interstate highway supports all makes and models of cars;
• The interstate highway allows for bidirectional travel within as well as between states;
• Roads that make up the interstate consist of multiple, bidirectional lanes;

• There are standard signs, road markings and layout;

• On ramps and off ramps allow some cars to enter and exit at different points on the interstate
highway depending on their origin and destination.

Similarly, what are the characteristics of an interoperable public health data

superhighway?

• The superhighway provides a common infrastructure for rapid, timely data exchange
regardless if it is sent to public health departments, public health laboratories, vital records
registrars, or federal agencies;
• The superhighway supports efficient movement of diverse types of data for different diseases
and conditions;
• The superhighway allows for bidirectional data exchange within states, within CDC, and
between states and CDC;

• Disease-specific surveillance systems that make up the superhighway work simultaneously,
sharing the same infrastructure;

• Data has a standard format;
• Data can be accessed by different entities along the superhighway; data can be added to
enhance existing data in the superhighway.

The Public Health Enterprise 18