Implementers Perspective of CDC Vocabulary Server (PHIN VADS)

This session covers various approaches taken by CDC programs and partners for distributing and implementing the standard vocabularies using PHIN Vocabulary Access and Distribution System (VADS). PHIN VADS is the CDC vocabulary server used for browsing, searching and distributing standard vocabularies and the public health vocabulary subsets. PHIN VADS vocabulary is based on Whitehouse E-Gov Consolidated Health Informatics (CHI) initiative.

The first panelist , will address the use of PHIN VADS within the NEDSS Messaging Subscription Service (MSS) application.  The MSS is a CDC built application focusing on supporting states to do standards driven electronic messaging.   Some of the key functions supported by MSS that use PHIN VADS are standard vocabulary mapping and standard code validation. MSS uses PHIN VADS Application Programming Interface (API) calls for querying PHIN VADS for all its terminology needs. Future version of MSS will use the new PHIN VADS 3.0 web services for getting the vocabulary updates.

The second panelist will address the creation of questionnaires in Epi Info using standard vocabulary from PHIN VADS. Epi Info is a suite of tools for public health professionals to rapidly create questionnaires, customize the data entry experience, analyze data and produce tables, graphs, charts, maps and reports of the results. Future versions of Epi Info may use web services to get vocabulary updates from PHIN VADS.

The third panelist will address the management of National Healthcare Safety Network vocabulary using PHIN VADS. The NHSN is a web-based system developed and maintained by CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) and used for surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI’s), Several vendors and CDC partners are planning to use PHIN VADS web user interface and web services to obtain the NHSN vocabulary. PHIN VADS has versioning capability which allows hosting multiple versions of NHSN IG vocabulary.