Data Interoperability & Technology
Connecting Health Data to Improve Public Health
For more than 20 years, Altarum has helped public health agencies build the data infrastructure they need to do their jobs. We connect systems; standardize data exchange; develop custom solutions; and support the registries that track disease, outcomes, and populations over time. Our team brings deep technical expertise in health IT standards and practical understanding of how public health programs actually operate.
We work with state and local health departments, federal agencies, and national standards bodies to close the gaps that slow data-driven decision-making.
What We Do
Our work covers the full spectrum of public health data infrastructure:
- Interoperability services: We implement FHIR-based solutions, HL7 standards, and integration engines that connect health systems and enable seamless data exchange. Our work includes readiness assessments, roadmap development, implementation, and onboarding. We equip partners to manage data flows independently.
- Custom public health IT development: We design and build software tailored to public health needs—from surveillance platforms to workforce tools—as a nonprofit mission-driven partner rather than a typical IT vendor.
- Registry development: We build and maintain statewide and national registries for disease surveillance, condition-specific monitoring, and longitudinal studies, with systems designed to integrate into daily workflows.
Where relevant, our interoperability and technology work connects to the applied AI capabilities of the Health Data & AI Center of Excellence.
Building Lasting Infrastructure
Public health data infrastructure works best when agencies can run it themselves. Our onboarding and knowledge transfer work is designed to make partners self-reliant. We provide the training, documentation, and support they need to manage data systems without continued dependence on Altarum.
Across Our Focus Areas
Our data and technology work runs through the Public Health IT focus area and connects across behavioral health, maternal and child health, military and Veterans health, and Medicare and Medicaid. Our technology teams also work with Palladian Partners, Altarum’s health communications subsidiary, when partners need accessible websites and digital tools for the public.
Across all of it, we advance health missions by building the capacity partners need to sustain and improve their data systems.
Examples of Our Work
Improving Newborn Screening Through Interoperability
Altarum provides technical assistance to states to advance connectivity between state public health newborn screening programs and health care providers.
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Public Health Interoperability Training Resource Catalog
Together with a group of committed volunteers, Altarum administers a single-source, easily-accessible library of public health interoperability training resources.
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Improving Speed and Accuracy of Childhood Lead Poisoning Surveillance
Altarum is leading efforts to efficiently track lead poisoning data that flow into the Michigan Childhood Lead Poisoning Surveillance System.
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Advancing Public Health Standards for Data Exchange and Reporting
Altarum is helping states advance their interoperability and public health reporting and monitoring capabilities through its work with the HL7 standards community.
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MDRO Xchange: Reducing Interfacility MDRO Transmission Through Data Exchange
MDRO Xchange improves clinical decision-making and infection-prevention workflows, strengthening prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections and disease surveillance.
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Direct Care Careers Center, A Multi-Purpose State Workforce Management Tool
An online platform enabling states to better understand, manage, and support their direct service workers and providers.
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Enhancing Cancer Surveillance Efforts by Validating Cancer Data Quality
Altarum is improving the speed and accuracy of cancer data submission to enable scientists and public health officials across Michigan to have efficient and prompt access high-quality data.
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