Public health informatics training program announced

Jun 8, 2005 (CIDRAP News) – A new program to provide training in the use of informatics to enhance disease detection and other public health functions is being launched with the help of a $3.68 million grant from a private foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded the grant to train students in public health informatics, defined as the practice of integrating computer technology for managing information to enhance the work of public health professionals and others, the NIH said.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) will administer the grant. Training will be done at four institutions that already have informatics training programs supported by the NLM: Columbia University, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the University of Utah, and the University of Washington. The programs are scheduled to begin Jul 1, the NIH reported.

"Informatics can help us make a huge impact on pubic health through disease surveillance," said Charles Friedman, PhD, the NLM's leader of the training initiative, as quoted in the news release. "By integrating health data from a range of sources—including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies—and applying sophisticated analysis tools, we'll be able to detect disease outbreaks early, potentially saving lives and preventing an enormous amount of suffering."

The grant will support program development at the training sites along with stipends, tuition, and other expenses for trainees, the NIH said.

See also:

Jun 8 NIH news release
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jun2005/nlm-08.htm