Capability Cliff Notes Series PHEP Capability 6—Information Sharing What Is It And How Will We Measure It?

Learning Objectives Become familiar with Capability Functions Become familiar with Tasks that complete the Functions Understand how these Functions and Tasks are measured or may be measured in the future (Performance Measures)

Information Sharing Information sharing is the ability to exchange health-related information and situational awareness throughout all levels of government and community. This capability includes the routine sharing of information as well as incident-related information, such as public health alerts. How can health departments ensure needed information is being shared across sectors with the people who need it?

Information Sharing Functions What Can Health Departments Do to Ensure Accurate Information Is Shared Throughout Jurisdictions? 1.Identify stakeholders who need to be part of the information flow. 2.Identify and develop rules and data elements for sharing. 3.Exchange information to determine a common operating picture.

Capabilities and Measures Resources The performance measure for Information Sharing is a Joint Measure between PHEP and HPP: Percentage of local partners that reported requested Essential Elements of Information (EEI) to the public health/medical lead within the requested timeframe Numerator: Number of local partners that reported requested EEI to the public health/medical lead within the requested timeframe Denominator: Number of local partners that received a request for EEI Complete performance measure elements can be found on pages in the BP3 Performance Measures Specifications and Implementation Guidance at the following link:

Function 1: Identify stakeholders to be incorporated into information flow How can health departments identify critical stakeholders? 1.Before and during an incident, identify intra-jurisdictional stakeholders with whom public health must share critical information, such as public safety, private sector, law enforcement, and other disciplines. 2.Before and during an incident, identify inter-jurisdictional public health stakeholders to determine information sharing needs. 3.Before and during an incident, work with elected officials, identified stakeholders (both inter- and intra-jurisdictional) and private sector leadership to promote and ensure continual connection (e.g., ongoing standing meetings, webinars, and teleconferences) and use continuous quality improvement process to define and redefine information sharing needs.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Stakeholder engagement Role-based public health directory for public health alert messaging Processes for stakeholder communication Database of public health department contact information Equipment to access information when clearances are required

Function 2: Identify and develop rules and data elements for sharing Tasks: What do health departments need to do to develop data elements to share? 1.Before and during an incident, identify, through public health agency legal counsel (and other counsel as appropriate), current jurisdictional and federal regulatory, statutory, privacy-related and other provisions, laws, and policies that authorize and limit sharing of information relevant to emergency situational awareness. Such laws and policies may include HIPAA, ONC Health IT Policy, HHS Information Management Policy, and specific requirements of current MOUs/MOAs; they may address privacy, civil liberties, intellectual property, and other substantive issues. 2.Before and during an incident, identify routine or incident-specific data requirements for each stakeholder. 3.Before and during an incident, identify public health events and incidents that will require communication with stakeholders. 4.Before, during, and after an incident, utilize continuous quality improvement processes and a corrective actions system to identify barriers to sharing of situational awareness information that are within the jurisdictional public health agency’s control. (e.g. legal and policy barriers, opportunities to shorten the amount of time to share data)

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Data exchange requirements for each stakeholder Health information exchange protocols Communications processes to communicate with identified stakeholders MOUs or other letters of agreement for participation and information sharing Processes to adhere to applicable state and federal privacy and civil liberties provisions Processes for exchanging information when security clearances apply Documentation of state laws and regulations prohibiting information sharing Processes and frequency for data exchange Awareness-level training in the pertinent laws and policies regarding information sharing Information systems following industry or national system-independent data standards Conversions to convert non-standard formats into federally accepted standards

Function 3: Exchange information to determine a common operating picture Tasks: How should health departments share information? 1.Before and during an incident, collaborate with and participate in health information exchange (e.g., fusion centers, health alert system, or equivalent). 2.Before and during an incident, maintain data repositories such as disease registries, that are able to exchange data with other public health entities. Store data according to required standards for formatting, vocabulary, and encryption. 3.Before and during an incident, request, send, and receive data and information using encryption that meets required standards. 4.Verify authenticity with message sender or information requestor. 5.Before and during an incident, acknowledge receipt of information or public health alert, if needed.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Development of public health alert messages Health information exchange protocols Fusion center or other information exchange processes Information exchange between healthcare providers and electronic public health systems Verification that received messages are from a trusted source Information receipt acknowledgement Ensuring public health alert messages are received 24/7 Public health alerting message template Template for Information Sharing Access Agreements Process for standardized electronic data exchange with partners Staff that meet jurisdictionally defined competencies for a public health informatician Electronic systems capable of handling routine information and emergency notification Secondary system for information sharing Communications and alerting system for public health alerting messaging and non-urgent messaging

Questions? Please contact: Rachel Coles Program Evaluator--CDPHE