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. 2024 Mar-Apr;30(2):244-254.
doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001810. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Fostering Governance and Information Partnerships for Chronic Disease Surveillance: The Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance

Emily McCormick Kraus  1 , Lina Saintus, Amanda K Martinez, Bill Brand, Elin Begley, Robert K Merritt, Andrew Hamilton, Rick Rubin, Amy Sullivan, Bryant Thomas Karras, Shaun Grannis, Ian M Brooks, Joyce Y Mui, Thomas W Carton, Katherine H Hohman, Michael Klompas, Brian E Dixon
Affiliations

Fostering Governance and Information Partnerships for Chronic Disease Surveillance: The Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance

Emily McCormick Kraus et al. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2024 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Context: Electronic health records (EHRs) are an emerging chronic disease surveillance data source and facilitating this data sharing is complex.

Program: Using the experience of the Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance (MENDS), this article describes implementation of a governance framework that aligns technical, statutory, and organizational requirements to facilitate EHR data sharing for chronic disease surveillance.

Implementation: MENDS governance was cocreated with data contributors and health departments representing Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, Chicago, Washington, and Indiana through engagement from 2020 to 2022. MENDS convened a governance body, executed data-sharing agreements, and developed a master governance document to codify policies and procedures.

Results: The MENDS governance committee meets regularly to develop policies and procedures on data use and access, timeliness and quality, validation, representativeness, analytics, security, small cell suppression, software implementation and maintenance, and privacy. Resultant policies are codified in a master governance document.

Discussion: The MENDS governance approach resulted in a transparent governance framework that cultivates trust across the network. MENDS's experience highlights the time and resources needed by EHR-based public health surveillance networks to establish effective governance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Timeline of MENDS Implementation and Governance Milestones Abbreviation: MENDS, Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance. This figure is available in color online (www.JPHMP.com).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Map of MENDS Data Contributors and Health System Partnersa aVisual representation of health systems and examples and does not necessarily represent the exact location of all health care entities contributing data to MENDS. This figure is available in color online (www.JPHMP.com).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Composition of MENDS Governance Committee Abbreviation: MENDS, Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance. This figure is available in color online (www.JPHMP.com).
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
MENDS Data Type and Access Abbreviation: MENDS, Multi-State EHR-Based Network for Disease Surveillance. This figure is available in color online (www.JPHMP.com).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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