Data Modernization at CDC

For Public Health

At a glance

CDC and partners at all levels of public health are modernizing the nation's public health data infrastructure. By investing in people, streamlining processes, and scaling and optimizing new technology, we are focused on helping public health workers respond to threats faster, collaborate effectively, and invest to make the greatest impact.
Public Health Data Modernization: Protecting Health and Improving Lives

Progress

Because of investments in modernizing the public health data infrastructure, we can prevent, detect, and respond to health threats faster.

  • 85% of the nation's emergency department visits are available for situational awareness, most within 24 hours, which provides early warnings for health threats in communities.
  • 60,000+ facilities are actively sending electronic initial case reports to public health agencies, enabling faster sharing of data to detect health threats.
  • 360,000 commercial laboratory specimen results are received daily across 167 conditions, supporting broad-scale situational awareness.
  • 69% of deaths from provisional mortality data received within 10 days, up from 10% in 2010, giving a clearer picture of disease severity and mortality.
  • 1,500+ wastewater reporting sites are submitting testing data for COVID-19, flu, RSV, monkeypox, and other pathogens, serving as an early warning system for emerging infections.
  • 15 jurisdictions are sending data on hospital bed capacity to CDC, providing situational awareness for hospitals, healthcare providers, patient transportation companies and local and state public health departments.

However, we still face challenges like outdated technology, complicated processes, and systems that don't work well together. Continuing to invest in data modernization is essential for improving our ability to respond to threats quickly.

Spotlight

See how data drives real public health action:

Opportunity

CDC and partners are striving to help public health workers at all levels respond to threats faster, collaborate effectively, and invest to make the greatest impact. Our goal is to establish a data infrastructure that is:

  • Responsive: Equipping public health workers with the tools and processes necessary to respond swiftly to health threats using real-time information.
  • Connected: Enabling public health workers to share data securely with less burden and more situational awareness.
  • Sustainable: Prioritizing investments that make the greatest impact in the long run.

Pathway

CDC's data modernization vision is guided by the dynamic roadmap of the Public Health Data Strategy (PHDS). The PHDS is a mission-focused, goal-driven plan aimed at addressing challenges in data exchange between healthcare organizations and public health. Embarking on this ambitious journey requires an "all of public health" approach that integrates people, processes, and technology.

  • Investing in People: Through collaboration, investment, and upskilling, we can develop and achieve a shared vision.
  • Streamlining and Simplifying Processes: We are streamlining and simplifying complex processes to enhance collaboration and transparency, enabling faster actions.
  • Harnessing Modern Technologies: By scaling and optimizing new technology, we can ensure tools meet users' needs.


Our work

Key areas we are focused on accelerating progress in include:

Disconnected data systems slow public health response and coordination. CDC's One CDC Data Platform (1CDP) serves as a data integration hub, centralizing data assets, simplifying processes, and eliminating duplicative functionality so users share tools and access better information. When public health partners see the same real-time data, decision-making improves and response is more coordinated.

Faster disease detection and less time on manual tasks means public health workers can focus on what matters most. CDC's AI strategy outlines a blueprint to harness AI through secure data platforms, an AI-ready workforce, and clear principles around transparency, security, and human oversight. Practical resources are available to help public health partners put these principles into action with generative AI tools.

When public health workers can access reliable, integrated data, they can detect threats faster and respond more effectively. CDC is making core data sources – such as emergency department, case, and lab – available for rapid integration and analysis. Six core sources are now live in 1CDP, enabling faster visualization and action.

State, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health departments need modern tools to track threats and act on data. CDC provides tools like electronic case reporting for healthcare organizations report data to their health department faster. Tools like Data Integration Building Blocks help STLT decision-makers better use these data. CDC is also modernizing the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System to strengthen STLT surveillance infrastructure for current and future needs.

Individuals and communities make better decisions when they can access clear, actionable data. CDC is developing data dashboards and channels, such as the respiratory illnesses data channel, to make public health data more accessible and actionable. These tools give individuals, communities, and decision-makers the data they need to respond to make informed decisions.

Complex, inconsistent data-sharing processes create burden for jurisdictions and slow response. CDC is leading efforts to simplify data collection and sharing, including promoting adoption of USCDI-aligned standards and supporting minimal data necessary for public health emergency response. A single data use agreement is also being implemented to reduce administrative and legal burden on jurisdictions sharing data with CDC.

A coordinated national network for sharing health data is essential to a faster, more resilient public health response. CDC is establishing a national intermediary framework that builds on existing infrastructure — such as AIMS — and explores opportunities through TEFCA, health information exchanges, health data utilities, and CMS-aligned networks. The framework is grounded in local governance, past investments, and real public health use cases.

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Key Data Modernization Milestones

These efforts build on a series of notable milestones to modernize the public health data infrastructure:

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Content Source:
Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology (OPHDST)