Altarum to Present on Advancements in Birth Defects Interoperability at National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) National Conference

Public Health Interoperability Expert, Craig Newman, PhD, is honored to be an invited speaker at the 2023 National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) National Conference. Craig will co-present “Advancements in Birth Defects Interoperability” on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 10:15am.  Session attendees will learn about how birth defects programs can advance interoperability efforts through increasing knowledge about interoperability concepts and partnership with other public health programs that are also working toward interoperability.

Interoperability between electronic health records and public health surveillance has been advancing in recent years. Opportunities for birth defects interoperability have also grown with the development of birth defects-specific interoperability resources and enhanced collaboration with other public health programs that are also working toward interoperability. However, knowing how to move interoperability forward is a daunting task. Craig will review general interoperability standards and birth defects-specific resources, including Health Level 7 Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (CCDA) and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) and the associated implementation guides for birth defects reporting, and will discuss how programs might decide which standard(s) to utilize for birth defects interoperability. 

The National Birth Defects Prevent Network (NBDPN) is an international group of individuals dedicated to birth defects surveillance, research, and prevention.  The annual meeting is the only conference for population-based birth defects surveillance programs in the United States.  Conference participants are given an opportunity to learn about current advances and opportunities for birth defects surveillance, research, intervention, and prevention through sharing of best practices at state, local, and national levels.

Altarum brings two decades of experience advancing states’ interoperability capabilities, which includes developing Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) solutions; building applications that support information exchange for disease surveillance and care coordination; and helping to create national standards for electronic birth defect reporting, newborn screening early hearing detection and intervention, and critical congenital heart defects/disease.

If you would like to schedule a time to learn more about how we can help your jurisdiction or partner with your organization to achieve seamless interoperability in your public health infrastructure, connect with Jim Kamp, director of strategic partnerships, at jim.kamp@altarum.org.