A letter from our CEO, Lisa Bari.
Dear Civitas Members,
As we wrap up 2023, I’m reflecting on the progress we’ve made as a national network. In just our second year, we’ve emerged as a catalyst for community-centric health information exchange and data-driven health improvement, making our mark across health and health care.
In the last year, together we:
- Grew and strengthened our membership, bolstered by the retention of core HIE, HDU, RHIC, and QIO members, and important strategic partnerships. Today our network includes 169 organizational members across the country.
- Collaborated with the Gravity Project, with generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to drive on-the-ground implementation of SDOH data standards with our members and community partners.
- Highlighted priority work and member expertise through four Collaboratives in Action virtual events focusing on the Health Data Utility Framework, Community Information Exchange to support whole person care, and our partnership and work with Gravity Project.
- Hosted a successful conference in National Harbor, Maryland, open to Civitas members, government partners, and community members, highlighting Civitas members’ work as the bridge between “data” and “doing”, attracting high-profile keynote speakers including the CDC Foundation’s Dr. Judy Monroe, ASTHO’s Dr. Anne Zink, and CDC’s Dr. Jennifer Layden. The conference brought together industry leaders to talk about today’s most pressing issues in health equity, public health, data sharing, and health care transformation.
- Held two important member roundtables series throughout the year – the first on sensitive and reproductive data across three sessions; and the second on the political determinants of health across three sessions. We highlighted the critical work of members in these important areas and created connections across diverse member organizations.
- Launched our member-led Public Health Workgroup, co-chaired by Britteny Matero from Innsena, Kathy Miller from Bronx RHIO, and Stacy Schiller from the Delaware Health Information Network.
- Continued to build on our strong foundation of grassroots advocacy and public policy education, with quarterly public policy briefings, 13 regulatory comment letters and responses to requests for information, frequent engagement with Congressional and HHS agency representatives on our members’ work, and the launch of our SB&T-focused advocacy engagement in addition to our long-standing Government Relations and Advocacy Council.
- Began highlighting the work of our members via interviews and spotlights on our newly launched blog – for example, don’t miss the interview with Sarah Brinkman from Stratis Health and the new member spotlight for the Foundation for Health Care Quality.
- Strengthened new and existing partnerships with national organizations including AHIMA, AHIP, HLTH/ViVE, Sequoia Project, Gravity Project, and WEDI.
Looking Ahead to 2024
In the year to come, Civitas Networks for Health is poised to strengthen our collaborations, grow our membership with aligned organizations, and continue to share the work our members are doing in communities.
We’re gearing up to launch a workforce development initiative centered around the Health Data Utility model. This marks a new phase in our work, where we’ll deepen our roots and expand our reach. Furthermore, our storytelling initiatives will take center stage, highlighting the remarkable achievements of our members and the impactful work being done across diverse communities. These narratives will not only inspire but also drive forward our mission to advance data-driven health improvement and interoperability.
Guiding our work is the strategic direction from our Board of Directors, leadership, and input from our members and key partners, summarized in our strategic pillars:
- Strong Organization: Building a resilient and dynamic entity, capable of adapting and thriving amidst the evolving healthcare landscape.
- Thriving Network: Cultivating a robust and interactive network of members and community partners, where ideas flourish, partnerships strengthen, and collective goals are achieved.
- Influential Voice: Elevating our presence as a formidable voice in the health sector, influencing policy, and driving meaningful change.
As we prepare to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the new year, I’m deeply appreciative of your support and shared vision for the role Civitas fills in our community.
Sincerely,
Lisa Bari, CEO
Civitas Networks for Health
