About the CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Department of Health and Human Services, is the national public health agency of the United States. CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

The challenge

How might we advance innovation on the current state of digital health technologies, policies, and functionalities across the public health ecosystem to improve health outcomes?

Presidential Innovation Fellows working with the CDC will advise, consult, and advance innovation on the current state of digital health technologies, policies, and capabilities at the CDC, including the use of AI, data and analytics in a cloud environment. Potential focus areas include:

• Datahub: CDC is looking to strengthen and lead their engineering and big data analytics capabilities to monitor and improve public health, including the development of CDC’s Datahub, an agency-wide data lake.
• Cloud Incubator: CDC is looking to improve the development of interoperable systems. This includes technical innovation to monitor and improve public health by establishing a cloud incubator as a fail-safe environment to conduct research and development and feasibility studies.
• Modern HIV Surveillance System: CDC wants to implement a comprehensive, modern HIV surveillance system that enables agile data use at the local, CDC, and cross-agency level; enables broad functionality ranging from interoperability to predictive analyses; and ultimately supports the nation’s goal to end the HIV epidemic.
• Environmental Health Data Hub: Building a data hub will provide an one-stop shop for the National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry leadership, a variety of CDC programs (including Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program and the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network), and scientists to connect all their scientific activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, data sharing, facilitating collaborations, reducing data management cost, and making better decisions in data and IT investments.
• Machine Learning: Use machine learning to drive progress in two focus areas. First, develop algorithms to identify outbreak clusters for multiple conditions and begin developing a roadmap to adopt machine learning to improve health outcomes for patients. Second, take claims data and predict when patients with HIV, hepatitis C, or tuberculosis may fall out of the care continuum.
• Enterprise Data Strategy: Advance the CDC’s public health data and IT modernization initiatives. The fellow(s) will explore and establish an agency data strategy and governance program, and seek opportunities for data sharing and the ethical use of data discovery, innovation, application and improvement.
• AI and Emerging Technology: Evaluate CDC uses and benefits to apply new technologies and tools like artificial Intelligence (AI) and look ahead to the future evolution of science and emerging technology. Create an organizational strategy and policies to help CDC adapt and anticipate the future of science and technology.

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