When a public health crisis like
COVID-19 strikes, laboratories need to get mechanisms in place fast to test for the new pathogen. But without the technical infrastructure in place to send and receive data, and without the standardized nomenclature to communicate information, any response effort would be futile. How effectively laboratories are able to receive test orders from providers and communicate results to the CDC, providers and the public is a key component to determining how effectively public health can contain a threat.
Learn more about the importance of informatics in emergency response.Current APHL Informatics activities include:
Supporting and sustaining
APHL Informatics Messaging Services (AIMS), which provides the technical infrastructure to quickly exchange COVID-19 testing results and support critical public health tools, such as the Sara Alert app.
Providing technical assistance to help laboratories, public health departments, testing facilities, and manufacturers meet reporting requirements and enhance electronic exchange capabilities.
Learn more.