CDC director talks hospitals’ role in safeguarding nation from next pandemic

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Mandy Cohen, M.D., April 16 shared with attendees of AHA’s 2024 Annual Membership Meeting how her team is preparing the nation for the next public health emergency, highlighting how hospitals’ ability to provide the CDC with timely data is already positioning the nation for future success.

“We need to put lessons learned from the pandemic into action — approach protecting health as a team sport and knit together health systems and public health with integrated data systems,” Cohen said. “Data powers our ability to see emerging health threats. We can continue to make progress by optimizing syndromic surveillance, accelerating adoption and maturation of FHIR [Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources], and participating in TEFCA [the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement].”

Cohen said partnerships between hospitals and public health agencies are critical for CDC addressing its current priorities (readiness and response and data visibility; mental health and overdose prevention; and supporting young families). The director urged hospitals to share compelling stories on the importance of a strong public health infrastructure and to introduce public health data and tools into medical training.