Public Health Information Network in Action

Awardees of the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement Grant have encountered natural and manmade disasters in recent years which would have resulted in a different outcome had PHIN not been in place. North Carolina, Arkansas and New York State will share how their organizations used PHIN systems in preparation for and response of public health events in both their jurisdiction and over multi-jurisdictions. The NC Division of Public Health (NC DPH) has several information technology initiatives currently in place that significantly enhances the state’s ability to monitor, manage, and respond to the health needs of its citizens. The NC PHIN systems provide public health functionality and linkages to both state and local users. NC DPH will provide a case study of how various NC PHIN systems worked together enabled by the underlying infrastructure to provide public health disaster management capabilities during the Salmonellosis outbreak. The New York State Integrated Health Alerting and Notification System has been used extensively during the Swine Influenza outbreak. The system was used for distribution of situational updates, surveillance guidance, and message maps for risk communications. The New York State Department of Health will share their story regarding how they used PHIN to confirm cases, relay treatment protocols, and perform briefing logistics with local public health agencies, physicians and healthcare facilities. Arkansas State Department of Health will spotlight a few of the systems which have aided then in past public health efforts. Having multiple emergency operation centers throughout the state has allowed work to span throughout the State seamlessly via phone, video, data, radio and other technologies.   The Department will share how using PHIN while being tested and exercised by biological, natural and manmade disasters, has enhanced their ability to respond to the needs of their citizens as well as the neighboring states populations.