CDC to build public health surveillance via EHR data

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to identify standards and develop requirements for syndromic surveillance using clinical data from health information exchanges. Establishing meaningful use is important for public health agencies because it creates an opportunity to identify messaging standards and the technical architecture that supports population health to be incorporated in the functionality for electronic health records so providers can easily share that information. CDC seeks a vendor to come up with the standards and business process requirements that must both accommodate a variety of public health agency capabilities without impeding innovation, the agency said in the May 25 announcement in Federal Business Opportunities. Responses are due June 24, and CDC anticipates awarding a one-year contract. Because health departments are facing severe fiscal challenges, improving public and population health through meaningful use demands business requirements that support EHR solutions that can add functionality over time, according to the notice.