Public & Population Health with UDS+

UDS+ (Uniform Data System Plus) can be used as a Public Health & Population Health Dashboard, particularly for community health centers (CHCs), federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and other HRSA-supported programs. It is designed to collect, analyze, and report key health data to track public health trends, address disparities, and improve population health outcomes.

How UDS+ Supports Public Health & Population Health:

1.   Tracking Community Health Trends:

• Monitors chronic disease prevalence (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, asthma).

• Tracks infectious disease data (e.g., COVID-19, HIV screenings).

• Identifies health disparities based on race, ethnicity, income, and insurance status.

  
  

2.  Monitoring Preventive Care & Outcomes:

• Reports on vaccination rates (e.g., flu, HPV, COVID-19).

• Tracks cancer screenings (e.g., mammograms, colorectal screenings).

• Measures maternal and child health outcomes (e.g., prenatal care rates, birth outcomes).

  
  

3.  Assessing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH):

• Includes data on housing stability, food security, and access to care.

• Helps health centers and policymakers address barriers to care affecting vulnerable populations.

  
  

4.   Supporting Public Health Policy & Funding:

• Provides data to state and federal agencies to inform policy decisions.

• Helps secure funding for community health programs and interventions.

• Supports value-based care initiatives by linking population health metrics to health outcomes.

Limitations:

• While UDS+ provides comprehensive public health insights, it is primarily focused on FQHCs and community health centers, making it less applicable for broader health systems without integration with other tools.

• It lacks real-time analytics compared to more advanced public health surveillance systems like the CDC’s National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP).

For more information on UDS+ use cases and workflows, please see the information below:

HRSA - UDS+

*This post was created with insights from Perplexity AI, followed by author editing and fact-checking.

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References:

Uniform Data System (UDS) modernization Frequently asked questions | Bureau of Primary Health Care. (2024, December 1). https://bphc.hrsa.gov/data-reporting/uds-training-and-technical-assistance/uds-frequently-asked-questions

HRSA (n.d.). Table of Contents - HRSA 2023 Uniform Data System (UDS) Patient Level Submission (PLS) (UDS+) FHIR IG V1.1.0. https://fhir.org/guides/hrsa/uds-plus/toc.html