Missouri DHSS Data Landscape Survey, Maturity Evaluation and Strategic Assessment

Executive Summary

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS, “the department”) sought to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the public health data landscape across the department in its divisions, offices, bureaus and programs as well as with their community partners. The department desired a strategic assessment of their public health data, analytics and technology to provide a foundation for future improvement initiatives. The department contracted with Guidehouse, Inc. (“study team”) and its strategic partner, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), to undertake a statewide effort to identify, describe, map and visualize the current state of public health information practices and technology in the context of departmental operations, external relationships and the statewide public health information ecosystem. Collectively, these efforts made up the Data Landscape Survey, Maturity Evaluation and Strategic Assessment Project (“the project,” “strategic assessment”).

Project Components and Methodology

The project was designed to address the increasing need to navigate complex data flows and structures in DHSS’ various divisions and develop an understanding of current practices, processes and tools. The project utilized relationships and collaboration with various public health entities across Missouri and within the department to gather and refine information. With a focus on a best-in-class interdisciplinary collaboration, the project aimed to identify and make recommendations towards improving the methods by which individuals, programs, bureaus and divisions access, analyze and leverage data effectively and efficiently in decision-making processes to better serve the citizens of Missouri.

This report is the culmination of a three-phased project including a department-wide, data systems mapping exercise, data systems maturity evaluation (including a transformation maturity score) and comprehensive, statewide participant engagements. Seven recommendations were developed and finalized from all three phases, heavily influenced by the department data systems maturity evaluation, identified later is this report as Opportunities for Advancing Digital Transformation for DHSS, and from a best-in-class stakeholder engagement process, described in detail later in this report.

The objectives of the report include the following:

• Outline best practice recommendations for enhancing public health data, analytics and technology.
• Determine opportunities for additional data-sharing and collection.
• Identify opportunities for local partner integration, technology and digital maturation exploration at all levels of public health.