Dr. Edward Simmer, ASTHO member and interim director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, celebrates the department’s one-year anniversary with a recap of their achievements, including the highest health ranking in the state’s history; Dr. Bryant Thomas Karras, the Washington State Department of Health’s chief medical informatics officer,...
Season 3 Overdose Prevention Population Health And Prevention Strategic Planning Public Health Data Modernization Community Partnerships Harm Reduction Data Sharing Naloxone Overdose ELM ASTHO Members Training Data Sharing In Public Health Electronic Health Records Overdose Deaths Public Health Dashboards Essentials Of Leadership And Management Program Overdose Data FHIR Data Infrastructure Emotional Intelligence Linkage To Care Program Planning Workforce Education
Dr. Edward Simmer, ASTHO member and interim director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, celebrates the department’s one-year anniversary with a recap of their achievements, including the highest health ranking in the state’s history; Dr. Bryant Thomas Karras, the Washington State Department of Health’s chief medical informatics officer, discusses the Fast Healthcare Interoperable Resource (FHIR) pilot program that his department participated in; on Thursday, October 9, ASTHO will host the final session of the Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate workshop on applying emotional intelligence strategies to enhance leadership; and subscribe to the newscast to make sure you never miss the opportunities, initiatives, and insights from public health leaders across the country.
South Carolina Dept of Public Health: South Carolina Health Compass Dashboards
ASTHO Report: Accelerating Data Exchange in Public Health: Insights from Public Health FHIR Pilots
ASTHO Newscast: Public Health Review Morning Edition
1
00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,240
This is the award-winning Public
Health Review Morning Edition
2
00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,640
for Thursday, October 2nd, 2025.
I'm Jansen Silvers.
3
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,600
Now today's news from the
Association of State and
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,640
Territorial Health Officials.
You know, we've got more than 5
5
00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,120
million people here, and we
cannot and should not do this
6
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,040
work alone.
But by including all these other
7
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,000
groups working together as a
team, I think we can accomplish
8
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,280
anything.
The South Carolina Department of
9
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,560
Public Health recently
celebrated its first
10
00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,880
anniversary, or one year since
it parted with Environmental
11
00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,560
Services to become an
independent agency.
12
00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,280
In the past year, the department
has accomplished several
13
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,800
significant achievements,
including the state's best
14
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,720
health ranking to date in United
Health Foundation's 2024 Health
15
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,320
Rankings Annual Report.
Doctor Edward Simmer, interim
16
00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,080
director of South Carolina's
Department of Public Health and
17
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,280
an ASTO member, joins us to
share more.
18
00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,600
I think a major reason for the
improvement is that we're really
19
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,000
focused more now on listening.
We have made a concerted effort
20
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:02,440
to hear from our state's
residents.
21
00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,680
Ensure our programs reflect your
thoughts, ideas and needs.
22
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,760
Another achievement, South
Carolina saw a decrease in
23
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,760
overdose deaths for the first
time in more than a decade.
24
00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:15,000
I think naloxone has been a big
piece of that, but I think the
25
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,040
other piece has been increasing
access to harm reduction
26
00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,480
efforts, extending linkage to
care through warm handoff
27
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,240
programs and peer recovery
services, and also ensuring that
28
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,200
care is provided as early as
possible.
29
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,560
The department also launched its
South Carolina Health Compass
30
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,520
and Interactive Data Dashboard
that makes information from the
31
00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,560
most recent state health
assessment available online.
32
00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,480
This data, which we are going to
update regularly so you won't
33
00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,840
have to wait five years anymore,
can be used in community health
34
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,160
assessments and by community
coalitions, municipalities,
35
00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,040
students and anyone else who's
interested to inform health
36
00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,480
program planning, policy,
education and grant activities.
37
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,680
Simmer says he hopes the Health
Compass will help the state use
38
00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,840
resources more effectively and
make public health decisions
39
00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:02,760
that are supported by current
data.
40
00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,440
To learn more about what South
Carolina has accomplished this
41
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,199
year or to check out its new
Health Compass, just head to the
42
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:09,520
show notes.
We'll have a link.
43
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,640
This is a transformation that's
going to take time, but
44
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,560
modernization is worth the
effort.
45
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,000
The Washington State Department
of Health recently participated
46
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,440
in a pilot program to test out
the implementation of fire, or
47
00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,000
FAST Healthcare Interoperable
Resources.
48
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,280
Fire is the latest generation of
HL7, which is the international
49
00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,360
standard for the exchange of
electronic health information.
50
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,960
Doctor Bryant Thomas Karas is
the department's chief medical
51
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,720
informatics officer and chair of
the pilot program.
52
00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:50,160
I really see this opportunity to
get some hands on experience
53
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:55,440
with technical assistance from
experts mentoring the roll out
54
00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:00,840
as a chance for for States and
locals to build confidence with
55
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,760
fire before before needing to
interact with the HealthCare
56
00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,920
Partners.
Karis says the pilot program was
57
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,960
like a road map for the
participating departments and
58
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,760
allowed them to identify what
they want to do next.
59
00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:20,440
We've got a data structure
that's future proof that we can
60
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:26,040
grow with and that we can update
every time a new version of FIRE
61
00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,040
comes out.
We're ready for it.
62
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,920
A new version of US Core data
for interoperability is
63
00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:33,920
published.
We're ready for it.
64
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,760
And we can grow and continue to
invest in an enterprise solution
65
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,280
that can help every program area
eventually.
66
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,120
To help foster support and build
comfort with the new system, the
67
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,520
Washington State Department of
Health Co sponsored an
68
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:53,800
educational activity.
All of the staff within our tech
69
00:03:53,800 --> 00:04:01,280
OPS or IT shop within our agency
were able to participate in a 2
70
00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:10,320
day workshop called Fireworks to
help demystify Fire Explain that
71
00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,400
it's really just a bunch of
Jason resources and the same
72
00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:19,720
kind of building blocks that any
good web application leverages.
73
00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:23,240
To learn more about insight from
the pilot program, you can check
74
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,280
out Asto's report by clicking on
the link in the show notes.
75
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,040
Coming U next week on Thursday,
October 9th.
76
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,960
It's the final session in the
third series of the Ignite,
77
00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:38,920
Accelerate and Activate
workshop.
78
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,840
This session will draw together
everything participants have of
79
00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:45,200
learned so far and help you to
alley emotional intelligence
80
00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,520
strategies to make a meaningful
impact as a leader.
81
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,040
That's AT2M Eastern Time next
Thursday.
82
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,600
You can sign U using the link in
the show notes.
83
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,600
Finally, to make sure you never
miss your daily dose of
84
00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,760
opportunities, initiatives and
insights from local, state and
85
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,760
federal public health leaders,
remember to subscribe to Asto's
86
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,840
Public Health Review Morning
Edition newscast new episodes
87
00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:07,840
every weekday morning at 5:00
AM.
88
00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:10,360
Just head to the show notes for
a link to subscribe.
89
00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,200
That'll do it for today.
We're back tomorrow morning with
90
00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,480
more ASTO news and information.
I'm Jansen Silbert, you're
91
00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,080
listening to the award-winning
Public Health Review Morning
92
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,480
Edition.
Have a great day.
00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,240
This is the award-winning Public
Health Review Morning Edition
2
00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,640
for Thursday, October 2nd, 2025.
I'm Jansen Silvers.
3
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,600
Now today's news from the
Association of State and
4
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,640
Territorial Health Officials.
You know, we've got more than 5
5
00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,120
million people here, and we
cannot and should not do this
6
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,040
work alone.
But by including all these other
7
00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,000
groups working together as a
team, I think we can accomplish
8
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,280
anything.
The South Carolina Department of
9
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,560
Public Health recently
celebrated its first
10
00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,880
anniversary, or one year since
it parted with Environmental
11
00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,560
Services to become an
independent agency.
12
00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,280
In the past year, the department
has accomplished several
13
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,800
significant achievements,
including the state's best
14
00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,720
health ranking to date in United
Health Foundation's 2024 Health
15
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,320
Rankings Annual Report.
Doctor Edward Simmer, interim
16
00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,080
director of South Carolina's
Department of Public Health and
17
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,280
an ASTO member, joins us to
share more.
18
00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,600
I think a major reason for the
improvement is that we're really
19
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,000
focused more now on listening.
We have made a concerted effort
20
00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:02,440
to hear from our state's
residents.
21
00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,680
Ensure our programs reflect your
thoughts, ideas and needs.
22
00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,760
Another achievement, South
Carolina saw a decrease in
23
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,760
overdose deaths for the first
time in more than a decade.
24
00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:15,000
I think naloxone has been a big
piece of that, but I think the
25
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,040
other piece has been increasing
access to harm reduction
26
00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,480
efforts, extending linkage to
care through warm handoff
27
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,240
programs and peer recovery
services, and also ensuring that
28
00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,200
care is provided as early as
possible.
29
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,560
The department also launched its
South Carolina Health Compass
30
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,520
and Interactive Data Dashboard
that makes information from the
31
00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,560
most recent state health
assessment available online.
32
00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,480
This data, which we are going to
update regularly so you won't
33
00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,840
have to wait five years anymore,
can be used in community health
34
00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,160
assessments and by community
coalitions, municipalities,
35
00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,040
students and anyone else who's
interested to inform health
36
00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,480
program planning, policy,
education and grant activities.
37
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,680
Simmer says he hopes the Health
Compass will help the state use
38
00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,840
resources more effectively and
make public health decisions
39
00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:02,760
that are supported by current
data.
40
00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,440
To learn more about what South
Carolina has accomplished this
41
00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,199
year or to check out its new
Health Compass, just head to the
42
00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:09,520
show notes.
We'll have a link.
43
00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,640
This is a transformation that's
going to take time, but
44
00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,560
modernization is worth the
effort.
45
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,000
The Washington State Department
of Health recently participated
46
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,440
in a pilot program to test out
the implementation of fire, or
47
00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,000
FAST Healthcare Interoperable
Resources.
48
00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,280
Fire is the latest generation of
HL7, which is the international
49
00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,360
standard for the exchange of
electronic health information.
50
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,960
Doctor Bryant Thomas Karas is
the department's chief medical
51
00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,720
informatics officer and chair of
the pilot program.
52
00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:50,160
I really see this opportunity to
get some hands on experience
53
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:55,440
with technical assistance from
experts mentoring the roll out
54
00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:00,840
as a chance for for States and
locals to build confidence with
55
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,760
fire before before needing to
interact with the HealthCare
56
00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,920
Partners.
Karis says the pilot program was
57
00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,960
like a road map for the
participating departments and
58
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,760
allowed them to identify what
they want to do next.
59
00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:20,440
We've got a data structure
that's future proof that we can
60
00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:26,040
grow with and that we can update
every time a new version of FIRE
61
00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,040
comes out.
We're ready for it.
62
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,920
A new version of US Core data
for interoperability is
63
00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:33,920
published.
We're ready for it.
64
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,760
And we can grow and continue to
invest in an enterprise solution
65
00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,280
that can help every program area
eventually.
66
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,120
To help foster support and build
comfort with the new system, the
67
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,520
Washington State Department of
Health Co sponsored an
68
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:53,800
educational activity.
All of the staff within our tech
69
00:03:53,800 --> 00:04:01,280
OPS or IT shop within our agency
were able to participate in a 2
70
00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:10,320
day workshop called Fireworks to
help demystify Fire Explain that
71
00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,400
it's really just a bunch of
Jason resources and the same
72
00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:19,720
kind of building blocks that any
good web application leverages.
73
00:04:20,399 --> 00:04:23,240
To learn more about insight from
the pilot program, you can check
74
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,280
out Asto's report by clicking on
the link in the show notes.
75
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,040
Coming U next week on Thursday,
October 9th.
76
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,960
It's the final session in the
third series of the Ignite,
77
00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:38,920
Accelerate and Activate
workshop.
78
00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,840
This session will draw together
everything participants have of
79
00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:45,200
learned so far and help you to
alley emotional intelligence
80
00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,520
strategies to make a meaningful
impact as a leader.
81
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,040
That's AT2M Eastern Time next
Thursday.
82
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,600
You can sign U using the link in
the show notes.
83
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,600
Finally, to make sure you never
miss your daily dose of
84
00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,760
opportunities, initiatives and
insights from local, state and
85
00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,760
federal public health leaders,
remember to subscribe to Asto's
86
00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,840
Public Health Review Morning
Edition newscast new episodes
87
00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:07,840
every weekday morning at 5:00
AM.
88
00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:10,360
Just head to the show notes for
a link to subscribe.
89
00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,200
That'll do it for today.
We're back tomorrow morning with
90
00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,480
more ASTO news and information.
I'm Jansen Silbert, you're
91
00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,080
listening to the award-winning
Public Health Review Morning
92
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,480
Edition.
Have a great day.
