Informatics Training for CDC Public Health Advisors
CDC surveillance and information systems: Inferring Architecture
Instructor: Patrick O’Carroll, MD, MPH
Teaching methods:
- Demonstrations of selected CDC-developed surveillance and information systems;
- Discussion of information architecture(s) evident from the demonstrations;
- In-class exercise
Topics to be covered:
- The background, purpose, and functions of selected CDC-developed surveillance and information systems:
- NETSS: The National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance
- STD*MIS: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Management Information System
- PHLIS: Public Health Laboratory Information System
- PRAMS: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (and CDC WONDER)
- HARS: HIV/AIDS Reporting System
- The information architecture(s) illustrated by the demonstrated CDC systems, and implications for CDC’s overall, enterprise-level information architecture;
- An idealized information architecture for CDC.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this session, students will be able to:
- Describe and critique the information architectures of several CDC-developed surveillance and information systems;
- Identify similarities and contrasts in the architectural approach taken by the developers of the CDC systems that sought to integrate multiple, stand-alone systems (e.g., NETSS, CDC WONDER);
- Suggest at least one way in which the development or implementation of the demonstrated systems (a) exemplifies ideal informatics practices; and (b) fails to achieve ideal informatics practices;
- Summarize CDC’s overall, enterprise-level information architecture;
- Propose and describe a theoretically more effective, integrated information architecture for CDC.
Handouts/Materials:
- Friede A, O’Carroll PW. CDC and ATSDR electronic information resources for health officers. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 1996;2(3):10-24.
- STD*MIS Project History and Description.
- Martin S, Bean N. Data Management Issues for Emerging Diseases and New Tools for Managing Surveillance and Laboratory Data. Emerging Infectious Diseases 1995;1(4):124-128.
References & suggested readings
- Cook MA. Building enterprise information architectures--Reengineering information systems. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR (for the Hewlett-Packard Company), 1996.
- Friede A, Rosen DH, Reid JA. CDC WONDER: a cooperative processing architecture for public health. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 1994;1(4):303-312.
- National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance
Web page [http://www.cdc.gov/epo/dphsi/netss.html]
- STD*MIS
Web page [http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/STD-MIS.htm]
- For further information on PRAMS, contact Ms. Holly Shulman, DRH/NCCDPHP/CDC; E-mail: hbs1@cdc.gov