Public health workers need improved data analytics skills, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that highlights a gap in the health workforce’s ability to better address public health needs and disparities.
The GAO report published on Jan. 29 evaluates the Department of Health and Human Services’ efforts to address workforce gaps in public health, and found that informatics-related abilities are among skill gaps faced by the current health workforce.
“Recent studies indicate that informatics is one of the most significant public health training needs, and can help public health departments improve disease surveillance and better address public health needs and disparities,” said GAO.
Workers with data analytics and informatics skills are currently in high demand, with 72 percent of state health departments identifying the capabilities as a high priority. Yet, fewer than 5.5 percent of state public health department workers and only two percent of local public health departments workforces possess expertise in informatics or information technology, GAO said, citing various studies.
“Officials with five of the jurisdictions we interviewed expressed a need for personnel with informatics competencies,” said the Federal watchdog. “In addition, officials with a national stakeholder organization told us there was a gap in the availability of people who understand informatics, and who can use available data to identify community hazards and available assets to address such hazards.”
Data has been a recent topic for HHS after it released its artificial intelligence roadmap earlier this month, detailing how the department will oversee AI’s incorporation into the health sector and placing an emphasis on increasing knowledge sharing.
One way the department said it wants to do this is to create a public-private community of practice to share best practices for data-appropriate AI model use and develop a centralized repository of AI-ready data for authorized stakeholders.
According to Harvard Public Health, 24 percent of local health departments in the U.S. serving populations over 500,000 are currently using AI or have plans to do so. Only five percent of health departments servicing smaller communities have done the same.
Some of the ways that HHS can – and has succeeded in – addressing skills gaps and other workforce challenges include offering improved financial incentives for workers, streamlining hiring processes, enhancing workplace environments, expanding career pathways, funding flexibility in public health infrastructure needs, and providing resources to supplement the workforce during emergencies, according to GAO.
