HHS releases new data strategy to enhance data capabilities and accelerate progress on Cancer Moonshot goals

Dec. 15, 2023
The strategy attempts to promote greater access to data to advance cancer research and improve patient outcomes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its Data Strategy, which seeks to further realize the Department’s mission by advancing its management and use of data to improve human health outcomes.

The strategy contains 5 priorities for improving data infrastructure and capabilities department-wide, and a series of near-term initiatives for each:  

  1. Cultivate data talent – Meet the data workforce needs of HHS, for today and tomorrow. 
  1. Foster data sharing – Provide trusted, high-quality, easily-usable data and metadata across the Department and to external partners in order to drive progress and improve care. 
  1. Integrate administrative data into program operations – Weave data into regular program operations and decisions at all levels. 
  1. Enable whole-person care delivery by connecting human services data – Use data to establish a whole-person and whole-family view of wellness and needs. 
  1. Responsibly leverage artificial intelligence – Improve the quality, efficiency, access, and outcomes in health and human services through the safe, ethical, and responsible use of AI. 

Notably, the strategy includes an expansion of the role of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to include the coordination of human services interoperability in addition to its current role in enabling interoperability in the U.S. healthcare system.  

HHS release