This session describes a conceptual framework for a business process driven system architecture based on an existing Medicaid framework and proposes the application of this conceptual framework to the functions of public health programs to promote system integration and interoperability. This will be followed by the presentation of a real world application of this approach in the Delaware Division of Public Health.

For public health to participate fully in Health Information Exchange activities, it must be able to send and receive standardized data through a standardized architecture.  The first step in this process is to define the business processes that are common to virtually all public health entities and then determine system structures that can support and enable the management of those business processes.  This session seeks to capitalize on the development of business process standardization that has occurred within Medicaid Enterprises over the past six years and suggest mechanisms to capture the common business processes of public health in a similar fashion.  Once a business process framework is in place it is much easier to develop and procure system architectures that fundamentally meet those business needs. Not only will this serve to automate many common public health functions, it will reduce the costs of systems that can have modular architecture and standardized functions and enable interoperability at all levels.