97: How Public Health Strengthens Emergency Preparedness Through Data Readiness

Summary:

Discover how the Data Readiness Project, a collaboration between ASTHO and ASPR, strengthened medical countermeasure systems and enhanced data sharing for health agencies. Public health leaders from Virginia, North Dakota, and Massachusetts share how the project strengthened emergency preparedness and response capabilities. The discussion highlights the power of strategic investment and underscores the meaningful progress toward building systems that support faster, more effective responses to public health threats — not just through technology, but also via sustainable funding, collaboration, and scaling systems to meet unique jurisdictional needs.

Guests:

• Margaux Haviland, MPH, Director, Preparedness and Response Coordination, ASTHO
• Shane Keville-Wagner, Resource and Inventory Coordinator, Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Tim Wiedrich, Director, Health Response and Licensure Section, North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
• Jonathan Kiser, MS, Planning Division Director, Office of Emergency Preparedness, Virginia Department of Health

Resources:

• Public Health Review Morning Edition - 990: Connecting Public Health Silos, Tracking Data for Emergencies
• How Washington State Leverages Data to Improve Emergency Preparedness, ASTHO
• Ohio Department of Health Using Partnerships to Improve Public Health Data and Emergency Preparedness, ASTHO
• How Massachusetts Streamlines Data Sharing to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness, ASTHO
• Successful Informatics Alignment, Policy Approaches for State and Local Data Sharing, ASTHO
• Legal and Policy Considerations for Public Health Technology Adoption: An Exploratory Guide, ASTHO
• Data Modernization Primer and Tactical Guides, ASTHO