Title : Advancing public health capacity through data policy, governance, and sharing using REDCap for local health department access
Abstract:
Background: Timely access to high-quality data is essential for effective public health surveillance and response. Local health departments (LHDs) often experience delays and barriers to accessing standardized datasets due to fragmented data systems, governance constraints, and manual reporting processes. The goal of this project is to standardize and streamline the process to allow public health practitioners better access to the data they need for public health decision making using a software solution for sharing data owned and stewarded by DHHS with external partners. Although REDCap is widely used for data collection, its potential as a secure, governed data-sharing platform for surveillance activities remains underutilized. This project aims to develop and implement a data policy, governance framework, and sharing strategy using REDCap to improve data accessibility for LHDs while maintaining data security and compliance.
Methods: We conducted an initial needs assessment survey among participating local health departments (LHDs) to identify priority data needs, access challenges, and surveillance-related reporting workflows. We used the survey findings to inform project design, including dataset selection, access levels, reporting formats, and data-sharing frequency. We then developed REDCap projects to support surveillance and reporting for public health datasets, including vital records and programmatic data. We implemented a comprehensive data governance framework that incorporated role-based access controls, data-use agreements, audit trails, and standardized metadata documentation. We established secure data-sharing mechanisms using user-level permissions, automated reports, and controlled API-based exports. We maintained ongoing stakeholder engagement to ensure alignment with operational, regulatory, and privacy requirements. We monitored data quality through routine validation, review, and feedback processes.
Results: Implementation of the REDCap data-sharing framework improved the timeliness and consistency of data access for participating LHDs. Before implementation, routine data requests typically required [5 days to 4 weeks] to fulfill due to manual extraction, review, and approval processes, after implementation, authorized LHD users accessed updated datasets within [same day] through automated, permission-based reports. We reduced manual data requests and ad hoc reporting, substantially decreasing staff workload associated with repeated data pulls and custom requests. LHD users reported improved usability of shared datasets and increased capacity to support surveillance and situational awareness activities. As one LHD partner noted, “Having timely, direct access to these data has significantly improved our ability to monitor trends and respond quickly, what used to take weeks now takes minutes.”
Conclusions and Public Health Impact: This project demonstrates that REDCap can be effectively leveraged as a secure surveillance and data-sharing platform when supported by clear data policy, governance, and strategic implementation. Improving data accessibility for LHDs enhances timely decision-making, supports early detection of public health trends, and strengthens collaboration across jurisdictions. The framework is scalable and replicable, offering a practical model for modernizing public health surveillance infrastructure.
