7 minute read

AUGUST 21, 2024

Mark your calendars for the AIRA 2025 National Meeting from April 28–May 1, 2025, in beautiful Spokane, Washington! This year, we’re kicking things off a day early, with pre-conference workshops available on Monday morning. The official start of the meeting begins that afternoon with our opening plenary and keynote presentation, followed by the AIRA networking reception. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate with your IIS peers in a dynamic and engaging setting.

We’re 🌲pining🌲 to see you there, so be sure to mark your calendars!

P.S. Stay tuned—the call for abstracts and registration will open soon!

PHIG Implementation Center Informational Webinar

The Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) National Partners are excited to announce the launch of the Data Modernization Implementation Center Program (IC Program), a new program to support public health agencies in adopting the latest health information technology (IT) standards and participating in data exchange networks. On Wednesday, August 28, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET, the PHIG National Partners will be hosting an informational webinar that will provide an overview of the IC Program structure and offerings, and how interested public health agencies can express their interest in participating in the program. Please register for the webinar using this link and view additional details by visiting the PHIG website. The webinar will be recorded for those who cannot attend.

Now Open: RWJF 2025–2026 Health Policy Fellowship Program

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) seeks skilled professionals for its 2025–2026 Health Policy Fellowship Program. This non-partisan fellowship offers driven professionals from across the nation hands-on policy experience with the most influential health leaders across the federal government. Learn more about the program and apply today.

Scholarships Offered for the HL7® FHIR® Connectathon in Atlanta in September 2024

During the 38th Annual Plenary, WGM+ and HL7® FHIR® Connectathon in Atlanta, Georgia, HL7 International will be hosting a Public Health Track in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is an opportunity to engage and expand knowledge of FHIR in public health and continue to ensure public health needs are at the forefront as the FHIR standard evolves and is implemented nationwide.

Details on the agenda can be found on the HL7 Confluence page.

Sponsorship opportunities for those working in public health to cover travel and registration for the Connectathon are available through the CDC Foundation. If interested, please complete the following Smartsheet form.

The CDC Foundation kindly requests the following information:

• First and last name
• Email
• Public health jurisdiction
• Current role and responsibilities
• Knowledge of FHIR and HL7 standards (new, moderate, advanced)
• Particular information that you are hoping to learn during this Public Health Track

Sponsorship will be limited with a deadline of August 31, 2024.

Please direct any additional questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

As you may have seen, ASTP/ONC (recently renamed the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology) published the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability Proposed Rule, also called HTI-2, in the Federal Register on Monday, August 5. This kicks off the formal 60-day comment period. AIRA will be gathering and consolidating comments across the IIS and immunization community, and we welcome your input. The rule covers proposed changes for EHR certification regarding immunization exchange (F)(1), as well as proposed Health IT for public health voluntary certification (F)(21), among many other topics.

You can access the proposed rule at the link above, or here. You can also submit your own jurisdictional/organizational comments here.

Schedule for comments to be submitted by AIRA:

• Monday, August 5 – Proposed rule published in Federal Register
• Wednesday, August 21 – HTI-2 to be discussed at AIRA’s Standards and Interoperability Steering Committee (SISC) meeting at 1 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, September 4 – Comments due to AIRA – comments can be submitted to Rebecca Sandtveit at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; it is especially helpful if submitters cite the page number and proposed rule passage along with their comments
• Wednesday, September 11 – Comments reviewed at AIRA’s SISC meeting at 1 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, September 18 – Consolidated comments will be shared with IIS community to be incorporated as appropriate into jurisdictional/organizational comments
• Friday, October 4 – All comments due to ASTP/ONC

We look forward to upcoming conversations on HTI-2. Thank you for your engagement, and happy reading! If you have questions about the proposed rule or the process, please reach out to Mary Beth Kurilo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Join us for the next AIRA Discovery Session, Advancing IIS Interoperability: The Local Implementation Guide (IG) Digitization and Standardization Project Unveiled, on Monday, August 26, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET.

During the session, you’ll hear about how the Digitization and Standardization project:

• Enhances IIS interoperability
• Aligns local IGs with national standards
• Fosters best practices in local IGs (e.g., increasing uniformity of information in local IGs)

Additionally, presenters will share how digitized local IGs in Implementation Guide Authoring and Management Tool (IGAMT) can be used to create a cost-free, jurisdiction specific test tool.

There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with links to add the meeting to your calendar.

If you’re unable to attend, this session will be recorded and available in the AIRA Repository.

Register today for Envision’s webinar on Maximizing IIS Security Strategies.

AIRA will be hosting this collaborative webinar on Tuesday, September 17, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.

During this webinar, you will learn more about:

• Strategies for effectively responding to partner organization security incidents to protect IIS data
• Strategies for leveraging third-party security audits

There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email which contains links to add the meeting to your calendar.

This meeting will not be available in the AIRA Repository; however, there will be materials from the Moderna webinar available in the AIRA Repository.

AIRA members can submit and review information requests—a circulation of questions to and answers from the community. To submit an information request to the IIS community, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with “Information Request” in the subject line.

Information requests are viewable only by individual members and individuals affiliated with member and partner organizations. Recent information requests can be found by using the “Information Requests” filter in the AIRA Repository. Just log in to view these valuable resources! If you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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In a remarkable display of collaboration and dedication, AIRA’s Standards and Analytics team, in partnership with CDC IIS SMEs, has successfully provided tailored technical assistance (TA) to four jurisdictions—Montana, Vermont, West Virginia, and North Carolina—throughout our 2023–2024 project period that concluded on July 31. This initiative focused on enhancing the technical, programmatic, and policy frameworks of immunization information systems (IIS) within these states. The TA efforts, which included both virtual project-based support and intensive on-site engagements, led to significant achievements, such as improved data quality, enhanced staff education, and better alignment with national standards. We extend our sincere thanks to the participating states for their collaboration and commitment that made these successes possible. The impact of these efforts is clear: over 160 hours of expert guidance, 14 strategic meetings, and multiple peer-to-peer learning opportunities have bolstered the capacity of these IIS teams, enabling them to navigate challenges and drive progress in their programs. As we look ahead to the next project period, AIRA remains committed to partnering with CDC and IIS communities to support the ongoing improvement and sustainability of IIS nationwide.

If your jurisdiction is interested in tailored technical assistance, please reach out to your IIS SME. To request general technical assistance from AIRA, click here.

To honor and highlight the critical role of immunizations and immunization information systems (IIS) in vaccine delivery, AIRA has created a handy National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) social media toolkit. The toolkit includes graphics, customizable social media posts, and hashtags designed to help you spread the word and increase awareness. Explore our resources today!

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