Public Health (PH) Preparedness: Improving Data Exchange for Monitoring PH Threats through Content Standardization

Introduction Effective PH information exchange depends on standardized data to ensure system-to-system interoperability and is a critical component of preparedness and response. The Common Ground Preparedness Framework (CGPF) was developed through a three-year collaboration of eight state and local health departments to define and categorize PH business processes related to preparedness to include prepare, manage, monitor, investigate, intervene and recover. The CGPF may be used to prioritize standardization activities.[1] Monitoring, which is the crucial CGPF category for the entire PH preparedness business processes includes assessing population trends, and conducting surveillance.[2]. The author used the CCPF monitoring process as a basis for the comparison to determine those standards that aligned with these processes and identified any gaps in the standards. This assessment may help in better understanding content standardization for preparedness and areas for improvement.