Improving the Population’s Health Through Standards

1. Improving the Population’s Health Through Standards National Center for Health Statistics 2006 Data Users Conference July 11, 2006 Marjorie S. Greenberg, Chief Classifications and Public Health Data Standards National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention msg1@cdc.gov

2. Presentation Agenda • The Case for Data Standards • National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics • Harry Reynolds • Terminologies and Classifications • Sue Bowman • Public Health Data Standards Consortium • Dr. Walter Suarez

3. What are Data Standards? • Essential Building Blocks of Information Systems • Classification Systems and Terminologies (e.g., ICD, ICF, SNOMED) • Core Data Sets (vital statistics, hospital discharge data) • Identifiers (provider, plan, individual) • Message formats (e.g., HL-7 and X12) • Implementation Guides • Privacy and Security

4. Why do we Need Data Standards? • Data Standards are the common language that allows: • exchanging information • sharing information • communicating across disciplines and settings • integrating disparate data systems • making comparisons (national, regional and international) • linking data in a secure environment

5. The Case for Data Standards • Data Standards are the fundamental building blocks for : • an effective and efficient health care system • disease surveillance • monitoring the health and health care of the nation • performing outcomes research • providing information for decision making and policy development

6. The Vision • Enhancing the comparability, quality, integrity, interoperability and utility of health information from a wide variety of public and private sources - at the local, national and international levels - through more uniform data policies and standards

7. The Challenge • Participate in the standards development process • Influence evolution of standards to assure that they meet the needs of public health, health services research and health policy • Comply with standards to reduce provider burden and improve comparability of data • Seize the opportunities for enhanced information capabilities provided by standardization

8. Standards Momentum • Implementation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Administrative Simplification Provisions • Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, including ePrescribing • Public Health Data Standards Consortium established in 1999 and evolved into a not-for-profit organization in 2003

9. Standards Momentum • Public Health Information Network (PHIN) • NCHS and States reengineer vital records • Consolidated Health Informatics (CHI) Initiative recommends standards for adoption by the federal enterprise • Secretary names National Coordinator for Health Information Technology • First annual Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) Conference last month

10. Standards Momentum • Secretary Leavitt established American Health Information Community • Workgroups on bio-surveillance, electronic health records, chronic care and consumer empowerment • Health Information Technology Standards Panel established • NHIN prototype contracts awarded • Certification Commission for Health Information Technology established • State and local subcontracts awarded to identify and harmonize privacy and security policies

11. Classifications and Public Health Data Standards • Classifications • (ICD, ICF, SNOMED CT) • Informatics • Standards Development Organizations • Public Health Data Standards Consortium • National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics • Executive Secretariat

12. Classifications Activities • Maintain ICD-9-CM and develop and implement ICD-10-CM • Promote and implement International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) • WHO Collaborating Center for the Family of International Classifications for North America • Departmental representative to SNOMED International Standards Board

13. Informatics and Public Health Data Standards Consortium • Represent NCHS at Standards Development Organizations (HL-7 and ANSI X12) and Data Content Committees (e.g., National Uniform Billing Committee) • Represent NCHS on Health Information Technology Standards Panel • Founding members and on Board of Public Health Data Standards Consortium

14. National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) • Established in 1949 • Legislatively authorized since 1974 • Advisory to Secretary of HHS on national health information policy • History of involvement in • classifications • uniform and core data sets • surveys, vital statistics, population-based data • data for populations at special risk • National Health Information Infrastructure

15. National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) • Provides a bridge between government and the health industry, research and public health communities and connections to those working on health information policy in other countries. • Eighteen members who have distinguished themselves as researchers, educators and practitioners in a number of fields

16. Resources • http://www.cdc.gov/nchs.icd9.htm • http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov • http://www.phdatastandards.info • http://www.hl7.org • http://www.ansi.org/ • http://www.who.int/classifications/en/