Making Mission-Essential Advances in Health Protection Data Systems
The CDC Foundation acts as a force multiplier in data modernization. We advance partnerships across diverse sectors in service to timely, relevant, accurate information that can save lives. These partnerships help clear pathways for technology, people and policies to enable cutting-edge intelligence that practitioners and policy makers can leverage to improve health and assure thriving and prosperous communities.
Did you know that some health departments still rely on fax machines to assemble data on health threats? In fact, some health departments sent COVID-19 data to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by fax. Faxing this information crimped the flow of data and slowed decision making. Slow data then dragged on the COVID-19 pandemic response. That drag was not a new problem.
For many years, health departments have lacked the resources to unplug fax machines and plug into modern, secure tools to move information faster. But there is now a national effort to create integrated, real-time public health data and surveillance systems that can protect us from any health threat.
Web-based tools—like the apps on your phone—have already modernized how we think about banking, weather forecasting, transportation, shopping and other services. So what if you could get daily forecasts of today’s risk of infectious diseases in your community? What if you had an app that let you track your community’s progress around issues like infant mortality or diabetes? What if a COVID-19 test center immediately alerted you and your doctor about your results? What if hometown surges in demand for oxygen supplies or hospital beds could be predicted before they occur?
Through new tools and tech, and by putting the right infrastructure, policies, and skilled staff in place, we can all access better health information to make the best decisions for the health and safety of ourselves, our families and our communities.
Examples of Our Impact
For More Information
For additional details on the CDC Foundation's data modernization efforts, or to submit comments or proposals, please email dmi@cdcfoundation.org.