Overall Status: completed
Describe policy:
HHS promotes transparency, collaboration, and participation through the Open Government Plan Version 2.0 (http://www.hhs.gov/open/plan/opengovernmentplan/index.html), released in April 2012. The Open Government Plan is a revised version of the 2010 Open Government Plan (http://www.hhs.gov/open/plan/opengovernmentplan/openplanversion1_1.pdf), which released strategic datasets publicly.
HHS holds vast warehouses of health data and information, and aggressively works to provide easy access to these collections. We provide almost four hundred datasets through healthdata.gov (http://www.healthdata.gov/dataset/search?f%5b0%5d=sm_ckan_media_format%3AAPI). Thirty-four of these databases are already API-enabled. The inventory continues to grow by almost 100 datasets per year.
Activities to Publish and Promote Data Assets
HHS programs support and maintain databases for a breadth of activities, including:
Additionally, new policies and activities are increasing our capability to support data transparency, including statutory and regulatory authorities that create pathways for new data products and services.
In 2010, HHS launched the Health Data Initiative (http://www.hhs.gov/open/initiatives/hdi/index.html) with the Institute of Medicine. The initiative:
This project was a flagship of the first Open Government Plan and was renewed with the Open Government Plan Version 2.0.
Enhancing Data Quality and Usability
HHS is considering better ways to manage, store, retrieve, and collect data resources. This will assist with the pace of data growth, data sources complexity, and the immense data holdings across HHS.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) participates in the National Big Data Core Technology Solicitation. This group promotes the research, development, and application of tools across the federal government, including:
NIH also established a data and informatics working group to address the rapid growth of datasets. This focused activity on open data during FY13 and FY14 will build on the Health Data Initiative’s successes in modernizing data and information across HHS.
Number of datasets in the Enterprise Data Inventory:
Number of systems whose datasets are in the Enterprise Data Inventory:
Number of datasets that can be made publicly available:
Number of datasets listed on the /data page:
Number of released datasets listed on the /data page:
Overall Status: completed
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: HHS has collected more than 400 datasets at HealthData.gov. Heathdata.gov is the Department’s flagship open data resource dedicated to making high value health data more accessible to entrepreneurs, researchers, and policy makers in the hopes of better health outcomes for all. The site’s inventory of datasets is growing by more than 100 sets annually and 35 of the sets are already API enabled. Our customer engagement includes both a blog (by our CTO) and a webpage in the Open Data section of our Digital Strategy site highlighting how those API-enabled databases are being utilized in the public domain. There is a direct Call for Action asking customers to recommend datasets that should be API-enabled and discuss how the information might be used. Customers are directed to healthdata.gov, where they are asked to suggest other health databases for inclusion. The list of databases from which customers are asked to make recommendations is detailed at www.healthdata.gov. Two APIs that we have recently made public are included below.
System Name: HealthCare Finder API (http://healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api)
System Description: All of the data used on the Finder.HealthCare.gov web application is available through the API. There are multiple collections of data available through the API including Public Options Data, Individual and Family Health Insurance Options Data, and Small Group Insurance Options Data. Visit http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/open-data/index.html to learn more about this API.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000004764
System Name: HealthData.gov Catalog API (http://healthdata.gov/catalog-api)
System Description: The HealthData.gov API is used to provide software developers with programmatic access to the contents of our data catalog. The API can be used to find recently added datasets, to search the catalog, to download the contents of the catalog for analysis, or to build a new data catalog tool. Visit http://www.healthdata.gov/catalog-api to learn more about this API.
System Scope: both
Main Customer: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000004764
Overall Status: completed
Describe policy:
Integrating data and information services across HHS will be a priority initiative in 2014. Through this work we will build on past successes, like the HealthCare Finder and Health Indicators Warehouse, to create new opportunities for the public to access health data. As we look to the future, we will also renew our commitment to improving the quantity, quality and usability of the data we publish.
Two Highlighted Cases
HealthCare Finder API
One of the largest API-enabled databases is the HealthCare Finder (http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api), which provides information on public and private health insurance plans. This API has been particularly successful with entrepreneurs in the private sector. U.S. News & World Report uses it to help consumers find the best health insurance plans (http://health.usnews.com/health-insurance) for their specific needs. It provides the data the magazine’s application sort through to rate plans based on coverage and costs, both monthly and out-of-pocket.
Health Indicators Warehouse API
The Health Indicators Warehouse—another example of an API-enabled database—offers users access to community health statistics from around the county. It brings together quality health measurements from various offices and programs in a single, user-friendly data source for national, state, and community health information.
The Health Indicators Warehouse API (http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/health-indicators-warehouse) lets users:
This allows users to link changes in health indicators with interventions and treatment programs. Such evidence-based research was not possible before the Warehouse was established.
Name of system: HealthCare Finder API
Description of system: All of the data used on the Finder.HealthCare.gov web application is available through the API. There are multiple collections of data available through the API including Public Options Data, Individual and Family Health Insurance Options Data, and Small Group Insurance Options Data.
Scope of system: external
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000004764
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api
Name of system: Health Indicators Warehouse API
Description of system: Data sets contain National, Hospital Referral Region, and State level information on Medicare's Aged Fee-for-Service Population. Information includes Chronic Condition and Disease Prevalence, Population Characteristics, Health Care Utilization, and Quality Indicators.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/health-indicators-warehouse
Name of system: Healthdata.gov Catalog API
Description of system: The HealthData.gov API is used to provide software developers with programmatic access to the contents of our data catalog. The API can be used to find recently added datasets, to search the catalog, to download the contents of the catalog for analysis, or to build a new data catalog tool.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000004764
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthdatagov-catalog-api
Name of system: Home Health Compare
Description of system: The data provided includes demographics, Medicare-certified services, quality measures, state averages for measures, and zip codes in which each home health agency has provided services to. The data used to calculate the quality measures will be refreshed the third month of each quarter and represent a rolling 12 months of data.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: health policy researchers and the media
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/home-health-compare
Name of system: Nursing Home Compare
Description of system: Demographic data is refreshed monthly while quality measures are refreshed the first month of each quarter. In order to ease the downloading process, the data have been divided into 5 separate databases. About the Nursing Home About the Nursing Home Inspection Results About the Nursing Home Residents About the Nursing Home Staff About the Nursing Home Ratings
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: health policy researchers and the media
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/nursing-home-compare
Name of system: ClinicalTrials.gov API
Description of system: Provides information on clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: patients, family members, health care professionals, and members of the public
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002064
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/clinicaltrialsgov-linking-patients-medical-research
Name of system: Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER)
Description of system: WONDER online databases include county-level Compressed Mortality (death certificates) since 1979; county-level Multiple Cause of Death (death certificates) since 1999; county-level Natality (birth certificates) since 1995; county-level Linked Birth / Death records (linked birth-death certificates) since 1995; state & large metro-level United States Cancer Statistics mortality (death certificates) since 1999; state & large metro-level United States Cancer Statistics incidence (cancer registry cases) since 1999; state and metro-level Online Tuberculosis Information System (TB case reports) since 1993; state-level Sexually Transmitted Disease Morbidity (case reports) since 1984; state-level Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system (adverse reaction case reports) since 1990; county-level population estimates since 1970. The WONDER web server also hosts the Data2010 system with state-level data for compliance with Healthy People 2010 goals since 1998; the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System weekly provisional case reports since 1996; the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System weekly death reports since 1996; the Prevention Guidelines database (book in electronic format) published 1998; the Scientific Data Archives (public use data sets and documentation); and links to other online data sources on the "Topics" page.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001388
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/wide-ranging-online-data-epidemiologic-research-wonder
Name of system: Dialysis Facility Compare
Description of system: Collection period for the measures: 1. Patients With Anemia That Wasn't Controlled and 2. Patients Who Had Enough Wastes Removed From Their Blood During Dialysis (Dialysis Adequacy) is calendar year 2007. Collection period for the measure Patient Survival is January 2004 to December 2007. Demographic data is refreshed the second month of each quarter while quality measures are refreshed yearly in November.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: health policy researchers and the media
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/dialysis-facility-compare
Name of system: Genetics home reference
Description of system: The National Library of Medicine's web site for consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes responsible for those conditions.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002059
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/genetics-home-reference
Name of system: TOXNET
Description of system: A cluster of databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related areas.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001306
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/toxnet
Name of system: PubChem
Description of system: PubChem contains the chemical structures of small organic molecules and information on their biological activities. PubChem includes substance information, compound structures, and bioactivity data in three primary databases, PCSubstance, PCCompound, and PCBioAssay, respectively. PubChem is integrated with Entrez, NCBI's primary search engine, and also provides compound neighboring, sub/superstructure, similarity structure, bioactivity data, and other searching features.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002051
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/pubchem
Name of system: MedlinePlus Health Topic Web Service
Description of system: A search-based Web service that provides access to disease, condition and wellness information via MedlinePlus health topic data in XML format. The service accepts keyword searches as requests and returns relevant MedlinePlus health topics in ranked order. The service also returns health topics summaries, search result snippets and other associated data.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002049
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/medlineplus-health-topic-web-service
Name of system: DailyMed
Description of system: The DailyMed RESTful API is a web service for accessing current SPL information. It is implemented using HTTP and can be thought of as a collection of resources, specified as URLs.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002049
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/dailymed-webservices
Name of system: CDC WONDER: Population (from Census)
Description of system: The Population online databases contain data from the US Census Bureau. The Census Estimates online database contains county-level population counts for years 1970 - 2000. The data comprise the April 1st Census counts for years 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000, the July 1st intercensal estimates for years 1971-1979 and 1981-1989, and the July 1st postcensal estimates for years 1991-1999. The Census Projections online database contains population projections for years 2004-2030 by year, state, age, race and sex, produced by the Census Bureau in 2005. The data are produced by the United States Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001388
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/cdc-wonder-population-census-0
Name of system: CDC WONDER: Mortality- Infants Death
Description of system: The Mortality - Infant Deaths (from Linked Birth / Infant Death Records) online databases on CDC WONDER provide counts and rates for deaths of children under 1 year of age, occurring within the United States to U.S. residents. Information from death certificates has been linked to corresponding birth certificates. Data are available by state and county of mother's residence, child's age at death, year of death, underlying cause of death (ICD-10 codes for years 1999 and later, ICD-9 codes for years 1995-1998), gender, birth weight, birth plurality, birth order, birthplace, method of delivery, birth attendant, gestational age at birth, period of prenatal care, maternal race and ethnicity, maternal age, maternal education and marital status. Data are available since 1995. The data are produced by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001388
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/cdc-wonder-mortality-infants-death
Name of system: Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST)
Description of system: The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) finds regions of local similarity between sequences. The program compares nucleotide or protein sequences to sequence databases and calculates the statistical significance of matches. BLAST can be used to infer functional and evolutionary relationships between sequences as well as help identify members of gene families.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002055
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/basic-local-alignment-search-tool-blast
Name of system: ChemSpell
Description of system: The ChemSpell Web Service API provides chemical name spell checking and chemical name synonym look-up. ChemSpell contains more than 1.3 million chemical names related to organic, inorganic, pharmaceutical, toxicological, and environmental health topics. ChemIDplus is the source for ChemSpell. When a chemical name is entered, ChemSpell returns a list of chemical synonyms if the spelling is correct. If the spelling is incorrect, it returns a list of suggestions for alternate spellings.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001306
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/chemspell
Name of system: Entrez Programming Utilities (E-Utilities)
Description of system: The Entrez Programming Utilities (E-utilities) are a set of eight server-side programs that provide a stable interface into the Entrez query and database system at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The E-utilities use a fixed URL syntax that translates a standard set of input parameters into the values necessary for various NCBI software components to search for and retrieve the requested data. The E-utilities are therefore the structured interface to the Entrez system, which currently includes 38 databases covering a variety of biomedical data, including nucleotide and protein sequences, gene records, three-dimensional molecular structures, and the biomedical literature.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002058
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/entrez-programming-utilities-e-utilities
Name of system: PubChem Power User Gateway (PUG)
Description of system: The PubChem Power User Gateway (PUG) provides access to PubChem services via a programmatic interface. The basic design principle is straightforward. There is a single CGI (pug.cgi, referred to hereafter as simply PUG) that is the central gateway to multiple PubChem functions. PUG takes no URL arguments; all communication with PUG is through XML. To perform any request, one formulates input in XML and then HTTP POST it to PUG. The CGI interprets your incoming request, initiates the appropriate action, then returns results (also) in XML format.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002051
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/pubchem-power-user-gateway-pug
Name of system: RxNorm
Description of system: RxNorm provides normalized names for clinical drugs and links its names to many of the drug vocabularies commonly used in pharmacy management and drug interaction software. There are two RxNorm APIs (SOAP/WSDL and RESTful) available to provide developers with functions for retrieving RxNorm data from the most current RxNorm data set. Data can be returned in XML or JSON.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/rxnorm
Name of system: RxTerms
Description of system: RxTerms is a drug interface terminology derived from RxNorm for prescription writing or medication history recording (e.g. in e-prescribing systems, PHRs). There RxTerms API provides developers with functions for retrieving RxTerms data from the most current RxTerms data set. The API uses RESTful calls and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/rxterms
Name of system: Semantic Knowledge Representation (SKR)
Description of system: This Java-based API to the Semantic Knowledge Representation (SKR) Scheduler facility was created to provide users with the ability to programmatically submit jobs to the Scheduler Batch and Interactive facilities instead of using the web-based interface. The SKR Project was initiated at NLM in order to develop programs to provide usable semantic representation of biomedical free text by building on resources currently available at the library.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/semantic-knowledge-representation-skr
Name of system: Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Terminology Services API
Description of system: Database of key terminology, classification and coding standards, and associated resources to promote creation of more effective and interoperable biomedical information systems and services, including electronic health records. This set of files and software brings together many health and biomedical vocabularies and standards to enable interoperability between computer systems. Users can use the UMLS to enhance or develop applications, such as electronic health records, classification tools, dictionaries and language translators.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/unified-medical-language-system-umls-terminology-services-api
Name of system: DIRLINE
Description of system: DIRLINE API offers a RESTful Web Service API that allows users to search the DIRLINE database with keywords. DIRLINE (Directory of Information Resources Online) is the National Library of Medicine's online database containing location and descriptive information about a wide variety of information resources including organizations, research resources, projects, and databases concerned with health and biomedicine. This information may not be readily available in bibliographic databases. Each record may contain information on the publications, holdings, and services provided.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001306
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/dirline
Name of system: MetaMap
Description of system: MetaMap is a highly configurable program developed by Dr. Alan (Lan) Aronson at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to map biomedical text to the UMLS Metathesaurus or, equivalently, to discover Metathesaurus concepts referred to in text. MetaMap uses a knowledge-intensive approach based on symbolic, natural-language processing (NLP) and computational-linguistic techniques. Besides being applied for both IR and data-mining applications, MetaMap is one of the foundations of NLM's Medical Text Indexer (MTI) which is being used for both semiautomatic and fully automatic indexing of biomedical literature at NLM.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/metamap
Name of system: Pillbox Beta
Description of system: Pillbox enables rapid identification of unknown solid-dosage medications (tablets/capsules) based on physical characteristics and high-resolution images. Once a medication is identified, Pillbox provides links to drug information and drug labels. Pillbox and the data provided by this API are currently under development and are not intended for clinical use. This data is presented as part of a research and development effort.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001306
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/pillbox-beta
Name of system: National Drug File - Reference Terminology
Description of system: The National Drug File-Reference Terminology (NDF-RT), developed by the Veterans Health Administration, provides clinical information about medications, including therapeutic intent, mechanism of action, physiologic effect and drug-drug interactions. Developers can use the API to retrieve data from the NDF-RT. The API uses both REST and SOAP protocol and responses are formatted in XML and JSON.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002065
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/national-drug-file-reference-terminology
Name of system: Hospital Compare
Description of system: The data provided includes process of care, mortality, and readmission quality measures. The collection period for the measures is generally 12 months. However, some measures may be based upon fewer than 12 months. Generally, the Hospital Compare quality measures are refreshed the third month of each quarter.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: health policy researchers and the media
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/hospital-compare
Name of system: MedlinePlus Health Topic XML Files
Description of system: XML files containing information resources on diseases, conditions and wellness issues. MedlinePlus produces three types of health topic XML files – MedlinePlus health topic XML, MedlinePlus compressed health topic XML (.zip format) and MedlinePlus health topic group XML. Each file covers both English and Spanish health topics and health topic groups from MedlinePlus. DTDs are included. NOTE - This dataset is updated daily, every Tuesday-Saturday.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002049
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/medlineplus-health-topic-xml-files-0
Name of system: TXT4Tots Message Library - English
Description of system: TXT4Tots is a library of short, evidence-based messages focused on nutrition and physical activity. The library is targeted to parents and caregivers of children, ages 1-5 years, and is available in English and Spanish. Content for the messages was derived from American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents, which uses a developmentally based approach to address children’s health needs in the context of family and community.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000004764
API Link: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/txt4tots-message-library-english
Name of system: National Institute on Drug Abuse Use Screening Tool API
Description of system: This tool guides clinicians through a series of questions to identify risky substance use in their adult patients. The accompanying resources assist clinicians in providing patient feedback and arranging for specialty care, where necessary, using the 5 As of intervention.
Scope of system: external
Main Customers: This tool targets health care providers and medical clinicians with possible Electronic Health Record integration if they so desire.
Unique Investment Identifier: NIDA does not report these investments as IT investments, therefore there are no UIIs for this. This work was done as part of our research and research dissemination contracts with the web portions a small component of these contracts.
API Link: http://www.drugabuse.gov/developers
Overall Status: in-progress
Paragraph on Governance: The Department of Health and Human Services has had formal web governance, issued by the Secretary, sine 2006. The Department’s Web Council undertook revision and modernization in 2011. That effort was put on hiatus when it became apparent that the forthcoming Federal Digital Strategy would embrace governance, possibly taking it to new directions. Now, with Digital Strategy guidance in hand, HHS has resumed work. The revised governance being written today is significantly different in that it not only expands the existing Web Governance to embrace the breadth of digital communications, but also, for the first time, embraces the management of Information Technology investment. HHS Governance is expressed as a set of over-arching Principles which are then implemented through a more dynamic (living document) Management Plan. The Principles are being written by the HHS Web Council (digital governance) and the Administration and Management Domain/Information Technology Steering Committee (IT investment) for presentation to the HHS Secretary for adoption. We expect to take public comment as part of our process.
URL to Governance Document:
Overall Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Department of Health and Human Services
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Food and Drug Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Health Resources and Services Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Indian Health Services
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: National Institutes of Health
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Administration for Children and Families
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Administration for Community Living
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Departmental Management
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Program Support Center
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Office of the Inspector General
Inventory Status: completed
Overall Status: in-progress
Describe Implementation:
HHS is currently in the process of establishing a Vendor Management Office (VMO) which will be in charge of evaluating government-wide contract vehicles in the alternatives analysis for all new mobile-related procurements. Vendor Management is an acquisition practice used to manage and optimize an organization’s portfolio of acquisition vehicles to provide both cost savings and cost avoidance, and to improve satisfaction with contractor services and performance. HHS will establish a Vendor Management Organization (VMO) to streamline IT acquisition established for Agencies in the Federal CIO’s IT Reform 25-Point Plan.
To do so, HHS will take the following steps:
Vendor Management will enable HHS to control costs, drive service excellence and mitigate risks to gain increased value from their vendors. This will allow HHS optimally develop, manage and control vendor contracts, relationships and performance for the efficient delivery of contracted products and services.
Overall Status: completed
Describe Implementation:
Technology changes rapidly. Today, the federal government must provide information across a growing number of platforms with limited resources. Federal workers and the American people increasingly expect to access accurate information from anywhere, at anytime, on any device.
HHS is modernizing the Department’s digital services though technical improvements, coordination, and improved customer service. These strategies are not new to the Department and they are already being practiced at all levels within HHS.
HHS approach:
Impact on Performance Goals
A comprehensive list of the HHS Performance Goals can be located at: Agency performance goals: http://www.hhs.gov/budget/performance-appendix-fy2013.pdf. Improving the digital services we provide customers advance many of our performance goals, including:
Overall Status: completed
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: HHS has been carefully monitoring (through metrics) the growth in use of mobile devices to access web-based information, noting carefully the sites (and content within those sites) that are of greatest interest. As of May 2013, HHS has 25 websites that are mobile enabled (either m dot or responsive design) and the department has 32 mobile apps available. Customer engagement includes a blog and a Mobile section of our Digital Strategy site. Our existing mobile sites and mobile apps are all listed here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/mobile-sites.html and here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/mobile-apps.html There is a direct Call for Action asking customers to recommend additional websites for mobile enabling. HHS has chosen not to restrict what sites might be mobile enabled. Customers may nominate any site. Nominations will be factored along with metrics information on mobile activity to determine the Department’s priorities. HHS is committed to making all new websites mobile-ready. Two mobile sites that we have recently made public are included below.
System Name: Medicare.gov
System Description: Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. The implementation of responsive design on this site allows us to support traditional desktop PCs, tablets, and smartphones all from one URL and code base. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Public, Seniors, People with Disabilities, Health Care Providers, Caregivers, Families
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
System Name: Million Hearts™
System Description: Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Million Hearts™ brings together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Individuals looking for information about assessing/reducing their risk for heart disease and stroke.
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000275896
Overall Status: completed
Describe Implementation:
HHS works to deliver the information the public needs where they need it, anytime, anywhere, on any device. According to estimates by Microsoft (http://tag.microsoft.com/community/blog/t/the_growth_of_mobile_marketing_and_tagging.aspx), there were more than 100 million smartphone users at the end of 2012. Experts predict that by 2014 most Web browsing will take place from a mobile device. This will put desktop browsing in the same category as landlines, music CDs, and TV without built-in recording capabilities. HHS is using m.dot-websites, responsive design implementations, and applications to meet the public in the palm of its hand.
Two Highlighted Cases
Million Hearts™
In early 2012, CDC worked with teams across HHS to launch the Million Hearts™ website (http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/index.html). That summer, we released a second phase of the site which uses responsive design. Implemented in multiple phases, millionhearts.hhs.gov was built with both desktop and mobile devices in mind from the start. This allowed the developers to deploy responsive design much faster. Million Hearts™ was CDC’s first opportunity to work in responsive design. Through the project, the Million Hearts™ team accomplished several components of the Digital Strategy:
Medicare.gov
Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. In 2012, the site underwent an upgrade, moving it into a new content management system. After seeing the opportunities it offered, the site’s developers used that opportunity to implement responsive design. The updated site launched in September 2012. This redesign meets three major components of the Digital Strategy for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
Future Plans
For many, mobile devices are now their main or only experience of Web-based content and functionality. And while mobile is quickly becoming the primary way people access the Internet, it is a profoundly different medium from the Web as we have known it on desktop and laptop computers. The mobile Web offers different interfaces, content, interactivity, and context than traditional desktop browsing. Mobile defines the nature of the Web experience and Web properties for these users, and will have an enormous impact on how HHS presents itself online. It is likely that all future Web designs and redesigns will begin as Million Hearts™ did, with a mobile site concept that is expanded to create the larger-screen portal.
In response to this change, HHS is taking a mobile first approach to its work. Upcoming mobile Web implementations include:
Service Name: Million Hearts™
Service Description: Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Million Hearts™ brings together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Individuals looking for information about assessing/reducing their risk for heart disease and stroke
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000275896
URL of service: http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/index.html
Service Name: Medicare.gov
Service Description: Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. The implementation of responsive design on this site allows us to support traditional desktop PCs, tablets, and smartphones all from one URL and code base. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Public, Seniors, People with Disabilities, Health Care Providers, Caregivers, Families
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001474
URL of service: http://www.medicare.gov/
Service Name: BeTobaccoFree.gov
Service Description: BeTobaccoFree.gov brings together the best tobacco-related information from across HHS. It provides consumers with one-stop access to more than 120 different federal sources of tobacco-related Web content. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Primary audiences: American public including parents, teachers, students, current smokers, potential quitters. Secondary audiences: researchers, policy makers, friends and family of current smokers.
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000005797
URL of service: http://www.betobaccofree.gov/
Service Name: Heathfinder.gov
Service Description: The public’s source for reliable health information from the Federal government. Offering quick guides to healthy living, personalized health advice, and tips and tools to help you and those you care about stay healthy. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: General public looking for health information with low health literacy and/or low Internet skills
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000000961
URL of service: http://healthfinder.gov/
Service Name: Office of Inspector General
Service Description: The HHS OIG is the largest inspector general's office in the Federal Government, with more than 1,700 employees dedicated to combating fraud, waste and abuse and to improving the efficiency of HHS programs. A majority of the OIG's resources goes toward the oversight of Medicare and Medicaid. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: both
Primary customers: Health Care Providers, Compliance Officers, Associations, Congress, Public
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000236976
URL of service: https://oig.hhs.gov/
Service Name: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Service Description: Home Page of NIEHS, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which conducts basic research on environmental health and environment-related diseases. Links to information on programs, grants, research, events, contracts, employment, training, outreach events, public information. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Scientists and health experts, laypeople interested in health, science and the environment, students, grantees, the press, job seekers
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000001270
URL of service: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/
Service Name: Solve the Outbreak Application
Service Description: You may not be a disease detective, but now you can play one at home. This game allows users to run through fictional outbreaks and make decisions: Do you quarantine the village? Talk to people who are sick? The game offers a great way to take the study of epidemiology outside the classroom. Platforms: iPad
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Primary: teachers, teens, young adults Secondary: general consumer
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000000532
URL of service: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/solve-the-outbreak/id592485067?mt=8
Service Name: AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange
Service Description: The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality created the Health Care Innovations Exchange to speed the implementation of new and better ways of delivering health care. The Innovations Exchange supports the Agency's mission to improve the quality of health care and reduce disparities. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: both
Primary customers: Nurses, health administrators, policymakers and researchers.
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000224916
URL of service: http://m.innovations.ahrq.gov/
Service Name: Eldercare.gov
Service Description: The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with information on senior services. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Older adults, caregivers and aging professionals
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000000584
URL of service: http://www.eldercare.gov/
Service Name: HHS.gov/DigitalStrategy
Service Description: HHS uses this website to engage the public, report progress on the implementation of the Digital Government Strategy, showcase digital strategy best practices, and test new technology and tools. Visit http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/ to learn more. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: both
Primary customers: Public, HHS employees, federal employees, OMB, GSA, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000005797
URL of service: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/
Service Name: National Library of Medicine Mobile Web App
Service Description: This inventory of all the mobile assets offered by the National Library of Medicine includes both web and applications driven items. The app itself was created in HTML5 and in accessible from all mobile devices at the link. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: both
Primary customers: healthcare providers, health information consumers, researchers, scientists & librarians
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002049
URL of service: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mobile-app/
Service Name: CDC Influenza (Flu) Application
Service Description: The CDC Influenza application is for health care professionals. It offers update-to-date information on national flu activity and the latest recommendations for diagnosis and treatment. New information is ‘pushed’ to your device whenever you have a signal, so you never have to search for the most up-to-date information. Platforms: iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Healthcare providers
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000000532
URL of service: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cdc-influenza-flu/id577782055
Service Name: My Dietary Supplements (MyDS)
Service Description: This tool is a Web-based application only available on mobile devices, not to be confused with a mobile app. Simply enter the names and amounts of your dietary supplements, and they'll be stored for your use anytime, anywhere—for example, when seeing your doctor or shopping. With MyDS you also can email your personal list of dietary supplements to yourself or to your health care providers and print it out for reference. Platforms: mobile website application
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Drug consumers and supplement users.
Unique Investment Identifier: The Office of Dietary Supplements does not report these investments as IT investments, therefore there are no UIIs for this. This work was done as part of communication outreach with the web portions a small component of these contracts.
URL of service: http://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/mobile/aboutmyds.aspx AND https://myds.nih.gov/
Service Name: MyMedList (MML) Application
Service Description: A record of current and past medications is useful if not vital information to an individual. Such information needs to be easily accessible, yet adequately protected. MyMedList is an application developed at the National Library of Medicine. MML allows users to manage their medication list, and control access to it. The personal medication list can be printed out to share, can be mailed to a relative, can serve as a reminder to the individual for taking medications, or be shown as reference information in doctor’s offices or hospitals. Platforms: Apple iOS devices
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Public consumers of any medications or supplements
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002049
URL of service: http://nnlm.gov/psr/newsbits/2012/08/14/mymedlist-now-available-from-the-nlm-gallery-of-mobile-apps-and-sites/
Service Name: PubMed
Service Description: PubMed offers multiple ways to search the PubMed database, including a mobile website and mobile applications for iOS and Andriod devices. This archive contains more than 22 million references for biomedical literature from science journals, and online books. In the app you can ask a general question, search keywords in specific fields, and read abstracts of articles. The iOS version also gives you search options in 13 languages. Platforms: mobile website, app for iOS and Android devices
System Scope: both
Primary customers: Scientists and health experts, students, grantees.
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000002059
URL of service: http://pubmedhh.nlm.nih.gov/
Service Name: AIDS.gov
Service Description: AIDS.gov has three objectives: 1. Expand visibility of timely and relevant Federal HIV policies, programs, and resources to the American public. 2. Increase use of new media tools by government, minority, and other community partners to extend the reach of HIV programs to communities at greatest risk. 3. Increase knowledge about HIV and access to HIV services for people most at-risk for, or living with, HIV. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Primary: general public looking for information about risks and Community based organizations and grantees. Secondary: Researchers, Educators.
Unique Investment Identifier: 009-000282596
URL of service: http://aids.gov/
Service Name: drugabuse.gov
Service Description: Comprehensive drug abuse related website with research, treatment reports and news. Includes a site for teachers and students with educational materials. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: both
Primary customers: This is NIDA’s primary site, with an audience representing a wide swath of the population. It is broken down into the following audience channels: Researchers, Medical & Health professionals, Patients & Families, Teachers & Parents, and Students and Young Adults.
Unique Investment Identifier: NIDA does not report these investments as IT investments, therefore there are no UIIs for this. This work was done as part of our research and research dissemination contracts with the web portions a small component of these contracts.
URL of service: http://www.drugabuse.gov/
Service Name: teens.drugabuse.gov
Service Description: The National Institute on Drug Abuse website for Teens. Helps educate adolescents ages 11 through 15 (as well as their parents and teachers) on the science behind drug abuse. Platforms: mobile website
System Scope: external
Primary customers: targeted to teens and pre-teens, as well as parents and teachers interested in viewing information on drug abuse through graphic design and messaging designed for teens.
Unique Investment Identifier: NIDA does not report these investments as IT investments, therefore there are no UIIs for this. This work was done as part of our research and research dissemination contracts with the web portions a small component of these contracts.
URL of service: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/
Overall Status: in-progress
Implemented Digital Analytics Program: no
If Not, Describe Implementation:
HHS has a well-established metrics and analytics program predating GSA’s Digital Analytics Program (DAP). As early adopters, we pride ourselves in moving beyond metrics (the gathering of data) to the formulation of a robust program which analyzes metrics in combination with our complementary customer satisfaction data (see 8.2.2) to generate specific recommendations for the improvement of web content and other digital platforms. Our end goal is to significantly improve customer experience on our digital platforms.
Since the DAP implementation instructions were released on October 2012, the HHS-ASPA Digital Team has been working with OMB and GSA to address issues surrounding how DAP integrates with our legacy program. We are currently implementing the DAP code on one of the HHS priority websites managed by the HHS Digital Communications Division to test the integration of the DAP with our legacy analytics tools. We will work with the GSA/DAP team to address any issues identified from the testing and will of course share our findings with others who may be integrating DAP with legacy systems.
Percent of websites covered: 0.869 (1 domain)
URL of performance data: N/A
Describe Implementation: HHS some time ago developed a “Voice of Consumer” (VOC) tool which is deployed on many of our priority websites. We use the information gathered by this tool to make improvements to the sites. In the spirit of shared resources as outlined in the Digital Strategy, HHS has offered to make this tool, including its back-end reporting, available at no cost to all federal agencies. Code is being made open source. Ironically, our ability to use our VOC tool more widely is limited by OMB’s so-called :fast-track” survey question approval process. OMB will only consider one website survey at a time, even if identical questions are to be used on multiple websites. Approval can take up to a month. At this rate, it will take HHS years to add customer surveys to all Departmental websites.
URL of performance data: www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/people-first/voice-of-consumer-tool.html
Last updated May 9, 2013 at 3:00 pm