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Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
Developed for the 2014 Public Health Informatics Conference session entitled,
“Informatics-Savvy Organization in Public Health: Vision, Strategies, and Resources” 1
The authors1 propose that there are three major capacities of an informatics-savvy health department: It has an organization-wide informatics
vision and governance, a skilled workforce, and well-designed and effectively-used information systems. Under each of these three capacities
are a variety of more specific elements, found on pages 2 and 3. We believe these capacities and related elements are needed by health
departments to be effective in using information and information technology to improve public health practice and health outcomes. The
capacities can apply at both a program level and an agency-wide level.
This worksheet is designed to help you think through these capacities, and to
score your program and/or your agency (and perhaps yourself) in terms of
the extent to which the capacity has been attained. For each capacity, you
will be able to rate your program or agency’s current level of attaining that
particular capacity.
Perhaps more importantly, you can indicate what next concrete step you can
take to work toward increased capacity.
We developed this list of capacities and elements for the 2014 Public Health
Informatics Conference. However, we hope it will continue to grow and be
refined through use and the input from users like you. Please send your
ideas, suggestions or adaptations to Bill Brand at bbrand@phii.org.
Skilled
workforce
Informatics
vision and
governance
Well-design,
effectively
used systems
InformaticsSavvy Health
Department
An informatics-savvy health department has…
1
Developed by Bill Brand, MPH, Public Health Informatics Institute; Martin LaVenture, PhD, Minnesota Department of Health; Sripriya Rajamani, PhD,
University of Minnesota; Wu Xu, PhD, Utah Department of Health. Send comments to bbrand@phii.org.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
1
April 2014
Organization-wide informatics vision and governance
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Defined, ongoing governance and leadership, with a clear
process for decision-making.
A well-articulated vision, strategies and metrics for how the
agency uses information to support its public health mission.
A well-articulated vision, strategies and metrics for how
information technology supports effective use of the
information the agency collects and/or uses.
Policies that support the agency's informatics vision,
strategies, innovation and metrics.
An organizational focal point for informatics (e.g., an
informatics unit, a Chief Informatics Officer) with crossdepartment responsibilities and authorities, including those
related to the organization’s informatics vision and strategies.
An organization-wide approach to interoperability, adhering
to the appropriate sets of standards.
Funding for positions, training, project management, and
other components.
Effective relationships with data trading and other community
partners.
Effective relationship with central IT as a strategic partner.
Effective collaborations with community partners who have
an interest/responsibilities for population health assessment
and/or management (ACOs, health plans, QIOs, etc.).
Policies and standards to ensure the confidentiality, security
and integrity of data.
●
●
●
●
●
Well-designed and effectively used information systems
●
●
A skilled workforce
●
Training strategies for improving informatics knowledge and
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
skills across a broad range of staff classifications.
Trained informaticians in key roles at department and/or
program levels, both academically prepared and through
continuing education.
Managers/supervisors of large information system programs
(e.g., cancer registries, immunization information systems,
vital records) that have knowledge and skills of informatics
principles, concepts, methods and tools gained through
academic preparation or experience.
Staff at the professional program level (e.g., epidemiologists,
public health nurses, data analysts, data quality specialist)
that are skilled in using information systems and tools, and
knowledgeable about system evaluation metrics and the
organization’s process for documenting needed system
improvements.
Staff at multiple levels of the organization participate in the
informatics activities of their respective professional
associations (e.g., CSTE, APHL, AIRA, etc.).
An increasing participation in collaboratively developed
requirements, shared services and/or applications, either
across programs within the organization or with other health
departments.
Effective relationships with software vendors.
●
2
Information systems that effectively meet the information
needs, workflows and practices of staff and programs.
Systems that are interoperable with other systems internally,
as well as with external data exchange partners.
Information systems that use nationally recognized
April 2014
●
●
●
vocabulary, messaging and other appropriate standards.
Processes and metrics for evaluating and improving
information systems/applications from the end user
perspective.
Systems that are based on rigorously defined requirements
and user-centered design.
●
●
Sound project management principles and tools to guide IT
projects, including System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
management.
Effective planning to ensure critical success factors are met.
Access to data analytic, visualization and reporting (AVR)
tools.
______________________________________________________
Instructions for completing the worksheet
For each element below, score where you believe y our program and/or agency currently stands. You may also wish to score where you yourself
stand in terms of the knowledge, skills or confidence to play a leading role in developing that element for your program or agency. Then identify
one or two practical, concrete next steps that could be taken to move towards the next higher score. Avoid high level, vague statements; focus
instead on simple, concrete actions that are do-able and measurable. It may be as simple as having a conversation with a key person or doing
some fact-finding. Taken together and acted upon, the next steps will advance your efforts to become an informatics-savvy health department
ad an informatics leader
Rating legend:
0 = We have not yet begun to attain this capacity.
1 = We recognize its importance; have begun to lay the groundwork
to attain this capacity.
2 = We have taken some steps to attain this capacity.
3 = We have made good progress with this capacity, and have plans
to attain more.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
4 = Have mostly attained this capacity, although we can still see more
that needs to be done.
5 = We have attained this capacity fully for the purposes for which we
intended/needed.
3
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
Organization-wide informatics vision and governance
Defined, ongoing governance and leadership, with a
clear process for decision-making.
A well-articulated vision, strategies and metrics for
how the agency uses information to support its
public health mission.
A well-articulated vision, strategies and metrics for
how information technology supports effective use
of the information the agency collects and/or uses.
Policies that support the agency's informatics
vision, strategies, innovation and metrics.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
4
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
An organizational focal point for informatics (e.g.,
an informatics unit, a Chief Informatics Officer) with
cross-department responsibilities and authorities,
including those related to the organization’s
informatics vision and strategies.
Funding for positions, training, project
management, and other components.
An organization-wide approach to interoperability,
adhering to the appropriate sets of standards.
Effective relationships with data trading and other
community partners.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
5
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
Effective relationship with central IT as a strategic
partner.
Effective collaborations with community partners
who have an interest/responsibilities for population
health assessment and/or management (ACOs,
health plans, QIOs, etc.).
Policies and standards to ensure the confidentiality,
security and integrity of data.
A skilled workforce
Training strategies for improving informatics
knowledge and skills across a broad range of staff
classifications.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
6
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
Trained informaticians in key roles at department
and/or program levels, both academically prepared
and through continuing education.
Managers/supervisors of large information system
programs (e.g., cancer registries, immunization
information systems, vital records) that have
knowledge and skills of informatics principles,
concepts, methods and tools gained through
academic preparation or experience.
Staff at the professional program level (e.g.,
epidemiologists, public health nurses, data analysts,
data quality specialist) that are skilled in using
information systems and tools, and knowledgeable
about system evaluation metrics and the
organization’s process for documenting needed
system improvements.
Staff at multiple levels of the organization
participate in the informatics activities of their
respective professional associations (e.g., CSTE,
APHL, AIRA, etc.).
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
7
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
An increasing participation in collaboratively
developed requirements, shared services and/or
applications, either across programs within the
organization or with other health departments.
Effective relationships with software vendors.
Well-designed and effectively used information systems
Information systems that effectively meet the
information needs, workflows and practices of staff
and programs.
Systems that are interoperable with other systems
internally, as well as with external data exchange
partners.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
8
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
Information systems that use nationally recognized
vocabulary, messaging and other appropriate
standards.
Processes and metrics for evaluating and improving
information systems/applications from the end user
perspective.
Systems that are based on rigorously defined
requirements and user-centered design.
Sound project management principles and tools to
guide IT projects, including System Development
Life Cycle (SDLC) management.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
9
April 2014
Key Capacity and Related Elements
Program
Rating (0-5)
Agency
Rating (0-5)
Personal
Rating (0-5)
Next Steps
An informatics-savvy health department has:
Effective planning to ensure critical success factors
are met.
Access to data analytic, visualization and reporting
(AVR) tools.
Informatics Capacity Self-Assessment and Planning Worksheet
10
April 2014