What's Coming

We are utilizing an iterative development process that truly thrives on collaboration. The iterative process allows for rapid development, early and frequent feedback from end users, and ongoing updates to adapt to users’ high-priority needs. It integrates feedback throughout the development process — as opposed to at the end of the process. As a result, SDP is a pioneer in the movement to bring more innovative, efficient informatics to the U.S. public health system.

Authoring Questions, Response Sets, and Forms
We started with a Vocabulary Service. One goal of this service is to reduce the number of different ways that we ask for the same type of information, driving towards harmonization across the agency and reducing reporting partners’ burden as well. A Vocabulary Service allows users to author questions, associate these questions with response sets, and create forms comprised of these questions and response sets. In addition to the ability to author this type of content, this service aims to make it easier for users to find out how other groups have asked for certain types of information, and reuse this wording for their own data collection needs when applicable.

Reducing Redundant Reporting
At the same time, we are building a Content-Based Routing Service with the goal of allowing reporting partners to send fewer redundant case notification messages, thereby reducing their reporting burden. Instead of sending a separate message to each CDC program that receives data about a given condition, reporting partners will be able to send just one message to the CDC, and the Content-Based Routing Service will distribute the relevant data to all CDC programs that require it.

Getting Input from End Users Early and Often
We have established a sandbox environment to allow end users to test the Vocabulary Service on demand, and provide feedback during the development process. This input from end users during development is critical to prioritizing new and improved features in upcoming iterations of development.
 

Where We’re Going
Future phases will evaluate the need for upwards of 26 other services to improve data sharing, coordination, and efficiency. We will follow a similar iterative approach to ensure that technology solutions are responsive to the needs of public health. We are creating opportunities to transform technology and improve public health.

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