What You Should Know:
– The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released its comprehensive Data Strategy, outlining a vision for leveraging data as a powerful tool to improve health outcomes and advance the Biden Cancer Moonshot.
– The strategy expands the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)’s role to encompass human services interoperability in addition to its existing focus on healthcare interoperability. This ensures seamless data exchange across the entire health and human services ecosystem, leading to a more unified and effective system.
Data Strategy Overview
Key pillars of the new data strategy include:
– Data Accessibility and Equity: The strategy emphasizes making data available, accessible, timely, and equitable for all stakeholders, including HHS, its partners, and the public. This ensures informed decision-making and promotes equal access to data-driven benefits.
– Cancer Research and Moonshot Support: The strategy prioritizes data access for cancer research, aligning with President Biden’s Unity Agenda and the Biden Cancer Moonshot’s ambitious goal of halving the cancer death rate within 25 years. By unlocking data’s potential, the strategy aims to accelerate breakthroughs in cancer prevention and treatment.
Five Priorities for Data Transformation
The strategy outlines five key priorities for transforming HHS’s data infrastructure and capabilities:
– Cultivating Data Talent: Building a qualified and future-proof data workforce to manage and utilize data effectively.
– Fostering Data Sharing: Establishing trusted, high-quality data sharing mechanisms within HHS and with external partners, promoting collaboration and innovation.
– Integrating Administrative Data: Weaving data into routine program operations and decision-making at all levels for better resource allocation and program effectiveness.
– Enabling Whole-Person Care: Connecting human services data to create a comprehensive view of individuals’ needs and well-being, enabling “whole-person” care delivery.
– Responsible AI Leverage: Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) ethically and safely to improve quality, efficiency, access, and outcomes in health and human services.
“Better integration of health care delivery and human services is critical to strengthening “whole-person” care, advancing health equity, and improving customer experience,” said Micky Tripathi, Ph.D., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “ONC has focused for many years on increasing patient-centered health care interoperability, and we are eager to support the HHS Data Strategy’s vision for human services interoperability.”
