National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems Releases Report

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the gaps in our public health infrastructure. When data are inconsistently collected across states and localities; are incomplete; aren’t shared in a timely fashion; or don’t capture vital race and ethnicity information, it’s impossible to understand the full impact of any crisis.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation established a first-of-its-kind National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems to reimagine how data are collected, shared, and used, and identify what public and private investments are needed to advance health equity. Led by Dr. Gail Christopher of the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE), the 16-member Commission represents a diverse group of innovators and experts representing multiple sectors – health care, community advocacy, government, business, public health, and others – and I am pleased to be a member of this Commission.

The Commission examined both the systems and the data needed to ensure public health information works for all, including who the data we collect elevates, who is being centered in our data, who is being excluded, and why. The report includes overarching recommendations and steps a range of stakeholders can take that offer a blueprint for change with equity at their core. Learn more: RWJF Transforming Public Health Data Systems.

View Webinar: Charting a Course for an Equity-Centered Data System