HIMSS honors Boston, Denver public health systems
By Mary Mosquera
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society today granted health IT programs operated by the cities of Boston and Denver its 2009 Davies Public Health Award of Excellence.
Denver Public Health, a division of Denver Health and Hospital Authority, is an integrated, safety-net provider that cares for almost 25 percent of Denver’s population of 600,000 and uses a clinical information system to improve patient care and overall quality.
“The biggest success is the effective communication of information internally and with the state,” said Dr. Arthur Davidson, director of Denver’s public health informatics and preparedness.
The clinical information system at Denver Public Health lets clinicians access test results quickly, while patients can log into a Web portal at any time to receive their test results. Notification of positive results and need for treatment via an opt-in text messaging program has improved the hospital’s ability to bring patients in more quickly for treatment and to reduce the transmission of disease, HIMSS noted.
The Boston Public Health Commission’s Infectious Disease Bureau introduced the Boston Syndromic Surveillance System (B-SYNSS) to track citywide diseases seen in emergency department visits using separate and distinct types of surveillance data. Previously, public health officials used only anecdotal information.
For example, when surveillance data shows mumps is prevalent, clinics can know to screen for the disease, and control measures can be put into place to prevent others from becoming ill, according to Julia Gunn, director of the communicable disease control division in Boston’s Infectious Disease Bureau.
HIMSS bestows the Davies Public Award to federal, state, local, tribal, or non-profit public health programs that improve the health of a defined community through health information management.
Government Health IT magazine is owned by HIMSS.
