The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and IBM scientists are collaborating on a project to further standardize public health information for sharing healthcare information.
According to IBM, electronic health record systems and reporting standards are in need of an overhaul that would make them more uniform for health agencies at the local, state and federal level.
Coordinated technology efforts that attempt to streamline information sharing are already being tested in Delaware, New York and San Diego County, Calif..
“A huge investment has been made to implement standards for the exchange of electronic health records and these same records contain critical data that public health requires, and in time of crises they require it urgently,” said Sondra Renly, lead scientist for collaborative public health transformation at IBM.
IBM says that a new system could help public health agencies recognize and take action against novel infectious diseases.
