Division of Public Health
Office of Health Informatics
(OHI)
The Office of Health Informatics has a primary responsibility to collect,
maintain and provide vital records for the citizens of the state; to collect, protect, disseminate and analyze health care and
population-based health data needed to conduct critical state business;
and to integrate and manage major public health-
related information systems. It is also responsible for
promoting the statewide adoption and use of electronic health records, and health
information exchange among Wisconsin providers.
The Office units include State Registrar/Vital Records; Health Care Information; Population Health
Information; eHealth Initiative; Public Health Information Network; and Senior Epidemiologist.
- The State Registrar/Vital Records Unit carries out state vital
statistics functions as established in Chapter 69, Wisconsin Statutes. The
Registration and Statistics Unit registers all vital events - births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages,
divorces, declarations of domestic partnership, and terminations of
domestic partnership. The unit also trains
personnel in local vital records offices to assure vital records policies
and procedures are followed uniformly throughout the state. The Special
Records and Preservation Unit files, amends, preserves, stores and issues
copies of all Wisconsin vital records. The Customer Service Unit accepts
and processes applications for copies of vital
records from citizens.
- The Health Care Information Unit maintains the
Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System
(registry) and the Wisconsin Violent Death Reporting System. It also
provides data on health care providers and health care services to the
Department for epidemiological and administrative use.
- The Population Health Information Unit provides demographic data and constructs
population estimates.
It conducts two population surveys (Behavioral Risk Factor Survey and
Family Health Survey), oversees the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring
System (PRAMS), and provides analysis including linked data bases and reports.
The unit also develops and maintains
Web-based interactive query systems that provide local and statewide health information.
The unit edits and reviews all office publications and oversees
Office Web sites, including Health Statistics, the
Consumer Guide to Health Care,
and others.
- eHealth Initiative: The eHealth
Initiative will advance investments in
health information technology to improve the quality, safety and value
of health care and to develop a secure, trusted, technically
compatible statewide health information exchange across the public and
private sectors. It will link health information technology and health
information exchange plans with prevention and disease management
activities and support the Governor's eHealth Care Quality and Patient
Safety Board.
- Public Health Information Network (PHIN): PHIN
focuses on integrating information contributed by the public health
community and its partners so that it can be appropriately and quickly
retrieved, analyzed,and shared. The PHIN will support the entire
spectrum of public health activities in the state through disease
detection and monitoring, data analysis, secure network
communications, emergency alert and response, and knowledge management.
- The Senior Epidemiologist furthers a knowledge-sharing and
knowledge-management culture by establishing best practices for data
collection, as well as management, analysis and dissemination and
fostering more effective use of the Public Health Information Network.
The Office has key relationships with other entities in the
Department, local health departments,
universities, health care providers, and federal public health agencies.
Return to DPH Programs and Services
Last Revised: November 02, 2009
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