804: Health Data and Privacy, PH Communications

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, December 5, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

SAMEER VOHRA: 

Collecting accurate data in a timely fashion is essential to spotting public health trends in real time and developing the meaningful strategies to address those issues.

JOHNSON: 

ASTHO's Legislative Prospectus Series continues this morning with Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Vorah emphasizes the importance of gathering data in public health to react to any issues.

VOHRA: 

So, I would say to lawmakers and the public in general is that, of course, we need to take privacy very seriously, but how do we also balance that and support a variety of initiatives that allow us to do this meaningful work while protecting those individual needs.

JOHNSON: 

Vorah says several actions have supported data collection and sharing, the big one being the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, or TEFCA.

VOHRA: 

TEFCA in particular, compliments efforts that the CDC put into motion in their Data Modernization Initiative to allow public health agencies to work with national-level frameworks for fast and easy exchange of data.

JOHNSON: 

When it comes to AI and data collection, Vorah says, in Illinois and across the country, there's still a lot to learn.

VOHRA: 

I think we are very much in the initial stages of better understanding how artificial intelligence can be used effectively and appropriately to meet our public health needs, especially the health needs of our constituents.

JOHNSON: 

Learn more about ASTHO's Legislative Prospectus Series by clicking the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, like many others, the Oklahoma State Department of Health realized it needed to change its communication strategies. Now, leaders from Oklahoma are sitting down with ASTHO to share their journey. As some health departments are using Public Health Infrastructure Grant dollars towards communications, Oklahoma's playbook can be a valuable resource. Here's Rachel Klein with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

RACHEL KLEIN: 

What we did when I came in shortly before the audit occurred and could see the way that the communications team was functioning and that it wasn't great. And then as we went through the audit, it became more apparent of the things that we needed to do to get to where we wanted to be.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

Debra Johnson, also with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, says constant input from a variety of sources was beneficial.

DEBRA JOHNSON: 

There was also a process of bringing together a group as a focus group that actually met monthly for a full 12 months at a time, our change champions, to get that feedback on how things were changing. You know, take the pulse on change management and culture and things that were happening internally.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

Klein adds that overhauling communications is a big undertaking. Her advice is to notice every advancement, big or small.

RACHEL KLEIN: 

Take those wins where you get them, and just remember it takes a lot of time, but the payoff will come as you work through the process.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

The full video detailing Oklahoma's communications overhaul is on the ASTHO website. We have a link in the show notes.

As you go through your work today, don't forget, ASTHO has a litany of resources ready to be used by public health professionals of all experience levels. One of those resources is ASTHO's, PH-HERO Workforce Resource Center. These curated tools help protect, support, and grow the well-being of your workforce. You can use the link in the show notes to learn more.

Finally, never miss a policy development on the Hill or in state legislatures by signing up for ASTHO's Legislative Alerts. Just sign up by using the link in the show notes.

That'll do it for today, we're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.