Strategic Goal 2

NHSS, 2023-2026 Implementation Plan

Strategic Goal 2:
Improve capabilities to safeguard and protect against an array of health security threats, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic diseases

Interoperable and modernized disease surveillance systems that are capable of rapid information exchange within and across the human, animal, plant, food, and environmental sectors are critical for enabling response actions and decision-making. Protecting against health threats also requires enhancing safety measures across the food supply chain. Additionally, strong cybersecurity can minimize the potential for attacks and data breaches on critical health technology.

Modernized surveillance systems should also be more representative of the entire population by including more granular socioeconomic, occupational, and demographic information. This will help identify needs of underserved communities and reduce inequities by enhancing the visibility of at-risk individuals. In addition, these data need to help inform response actions and be effectively promoted and acted on during a response.

The NHSS identifies four objectives to enhance surveillance and response capabilities. The following outlines implementation actions and desired outcomes for the next four years.

2.1 Improve domestic and global integration of data within and from human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health surveillance systems to detect health security threats in a timely manner and inform emergency response

Detection of emerging and zoonotic disease threats is paramount to safeguarding the health security of the United States and relies on collecting real-time surveillance data, timely reporting, and transparent data sharing across the domestic and international community. Integrating disparate data from within and across the human, animal, food, plant, and environmental sectors is critical to detecting health security threats such as emerging and zoonotic diseases to allow for swift response actions and data driven decision-making.

Desired Outcome: Federal departments and agencies involved in human, animal, plant, food, and environmental sectors engage in planning to modernize and integrate surveillance systems and data sharing processes and expand laboratory capacity.

Federal Implementation Actions:

2.1.1 Identify investments to expand research and diagnostic laboratory and hospital capacity to detect, characterize, and report emerging diseases.

2.1.2 Assess standardization and technology among federal human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health surveillance systems to identify common data elements and promote data sharing mechanisms.

2.1.3 Build data management and analysis expertise in the public health workforce to modernize and sustain public health surveillance systems.

2.1.4 Continue to expand international partnerships and data sharing agreements to strengthen rapid detection and surveillance of global health threats.

2.2 Collect and integrate a wider variety of data into public health surveillance systems to readily identify and address inequities experienced by underserved communities and at-risk individuals

Public health surveillance and other health monitoring systems should accurately represent the health of the entire population by capturing the full spectrum of the social determinants of health that impact health outcomes. By standardizing the collection and reporting on race, ethnicity, disability status, and other demographic and socioeconomic indicators across surveillance systems, the U.S. can better understand disparities faced by certain groups and work to identify and reduce inequities.

Desired Outcome: HPH surveillance systems capture demographic, occupational and socioeconomic data to accurately represent all populations and facilitate timely data sharing.

Federal Implementation Actions:

2.2.1 Survey demographic, occupational, and socioeconomic data indicators being collected across federal health surveillance systems to identify and reduce data gaps.

2.2.2 Collaborate with HPH organizations and SLTT partners to share evidence-based practices in data sharing, such as socioeconomic status indicators, to improve the quality of data collected.

2.3 Strengthen safeguards for agricultural production systems to reduce disease outbreaks and pandemics

Strengthening animal and plant diseases diagnostics, adopting sustainable land use and antimicrobial stewardship practices, and improving the capacity to monitor the domestic and international animal trade can better protect agricultural production systems.

Desired Outcomes:

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), HHS, and partner agencies review and update agricultural safety standards to protect consumers against foodborne pathogens.
USDA, HHS, and partner agencies develop plans to modernize agricultural surveillance systems to more effectively monitor the food supply chain and protect consumer health.

Federal Implementation Actions:

2.3.1 Prioritize the integration of food safety surveillance system infrastructure and diagnostic tools across the food supply chain to strengthen information sharing regarding potential pathogen spillover events and other disease risks.

2.3.2 Collaborate with industry partners to explore/adopt evidence-based practices for antibiotic use and other medically necessary veterinary medicines to prevent foodborne outbreaks.

2.3.3 Promote effective recall and testing standards to reduce consumer exposure to foodborne illness.

2.4 Promote HPH systems and technologies that are protected against and responsive to cybersecurity threats and safeguard patient privacy and medical device security

A U.S. health system that cultivates cybersecurity resilience, establishes minimum standards of security, and maintains vetted cybersecurity best practices will help minimize risks and vulnerabilities to cybersecurity breaches.

Desired Outcome:

Federal partners promulgate standardized and accessible cybersecurity processes and mitigation strategies for HPH organizations.
Cybersecurity preparedness standards and reporting processes are consistently practiced by HPH organizations.

Federal Implementation Actions:

2.4.1 Partner with Information Technology (IT) experts and health stakeholders to continue to identify emerging cybersecurity threats, including inconsistent security requirements between information exchange systems, and develop preventive and response actions to protect public health and health care infrastructure and patients.

2.4.2 Provide HPH organizations with clear guidance to share information on potential cyber threats and promote cybersecurity awareness to the sector.

Recommended Partners Activities for Strategic Goal 2

HPH organizations, agricultural, veterinary, diagnostic, and research laboratories can establish data standards that crosscut reporting systems to create connected systems that enable rapid threat detection and response.
SLTT authorities can conduct exercises focused on evaluating and improving coordination processes between human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health partners.
Food industry stakeholders can promote sustainable agricultural and land use practices that mitigate potential disease spread and limit negative impacts on wildlife, farming resources, and communities.
Health care and public health organizations can develop processes for routine vulnerability assessments, timely incident reporting, and system updates for their IT systems.
Health care and public health professionals can share surveillance system data outputs with community leaders and members to get their interpretation of the outputs and their perspectives on data gaps.

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NHSS, 2023-2026 Implementation Plan

Strategic Goal 2

NHSS, 2023-2026 Implementation Plan

Strategic Goal 2:Improve capabilities to safeguard and protect against an array of health security threats, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic diseases

2.1 Improve domestic and global integration of data within and from human, animal, plant, food, and environmental health surveillance systems to detect health security threats in a timely manner and inform emergency response

2.2 Collect and integrate a wider variety of data into public health surveillance systems to readily identify and address inequities experienced by underserved communities and at-risk individuals

2.3 Strengthen safeguards for agricultural production systems to reduce disease outbreaks and pandemics

2.4 Promote HPH systems and technologies that are protected against and responsive to cybersecurity threats and safeguard patient privacy and medical device security

Recommended Partners Activities for Strategic Goal 2

Strategic Goal 2:
Improve capabilities to safeguard and protect against an array of health security threats, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic diseases