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US public health failing as records resources grow
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In the midst of all the debate about health care, the public option and end-of-life counseling, there is the loud but hidden rumbling of a decades old engine of information infrastructure, called public health informatics. The organization that coordinates the easy and secure exchange of medical care information - and the data systems that support it - is known as the Public Health Information Network.
Attendees at the 2009 Public Health Information Network (PHIN)
Conference in Atlanta, August 31, 2009. (Photo by PBG)
PHIN officially opened its 2009 conference on Monday, in Atlanta, with presentations from newly appointed CDC Director, Dr. Thomas Frieden, Dr. Stephen Thacker, of the National Center for Public Health Informatics at the CDC, Dr. David Ross of the Public Health Informatics Institute and Dr. Seth Foldy, from the Wisconsin Division of Public Health.
The group was welcomed by Robert Pestronk, who represents the National Association of County and City Health Officials. He pointed out that the resources available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – aka, the stimulus – targeting the flow of information through electronic health records, can only help “our own communities, our neighbors, friends and fellow villagers for whom our work can have the most meaningful impact.”
He hopes, he said, that for all those in the states and localities NACCHO represents, “health will be the default, rather than the attribute of only certain people, or of certain races and classes, or of those with a particular education, income, neighborhood or job.”
Thacker, in introducing Frieden to the group, agreed that that the availability of money from ARRA, means that public health officials have an obligation “to do more” and “do it immediately.”
“[We must] take advantage of the new resources available to us,” he said.
Frieden, who has a history of supporting the development of electronic health records, told the conference of nearly 1,200 participants that while the EHR is doing great with basic medical care business data, like billing and appointments, there has to be more done about records regarding patient care, and the coordination of sharing those records for the benefit of the patient.
“We need an information system that is oriented toward prevention,” he said.
“On the ABCs of health care, the USA gets an ‘F’,” Frieden proclaimed to the conference participants that descended on Atlanta from every state in the union. “It would be hard to spend this much money [on patient care] and do worse."
According to American Health Rankings 2008 reports, the US ranks 28th for average life expectancy, and 39th in infant mortality. The one place the US has a weighty lead is in adult obesity, with a third of women - and about the same number of men - aged 15 and above, calssified as obese.
- Dr. Frieden also gave a quick update about the upcoming flu season, and how it will be affected by the H1N1 outbreak.
- The PHIN Conference agenda is available online, as well as links to the conference website.
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