Initiative

Health Spatial Data Infrastructure CDS

A common, standardized health geospatial data model and schema will establish a blueprint to better align the community for early warning, response to, and recovery from future health emergencies. Such a data model will help to improve support for critical functions and use cases.

Update: The Health SDI CDS has been concluded with this Report and the results have been used to inform both the Disaster Pilot 2021 and activities of the Health Domain Working Group. Future updates to the Health SDI CDS Report are expected as feedback from it and experience with its recommendations are accumulated.

The Health Spatial Data Infrastructure Concept Development Study (Health SDI CDS)  engaged the health and geospatial communities across industry, government, academia and research organizations in the evaluation of the current state of and defining the future state of geospatial data requirements for Health SDI’s. The initiative emphasized the examination of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on identifying a common standards framework and data requirements for the definition of a Health SDI data model as well as use cases to be prototyped in OGC Innovation Program Disaster Pilot initiatives. Ultimately a common Health SDI data model along with standardized schema and interfaces can be used by the global community to support improved response and resiliency to future pandemic events and other health emergencies.   

Through a global Request for Information (RFI) and several virtual workshops including a validation workshop, the CDS brought together experts from across the health and geospatial disciplines to shape a common geospatial Health SDI data model that can align local to global organizations and communities in coordinated geospatial information sharing. Applications of this information sharing capability will be able to more rapidly and effectively address preparedness, forecasting, response, monitoring and recovery for pandemics and other health-related disasters.

The CDS addressed the following specific objectives:

  • Engage the health and geospatial communities to provide insight into data model requirements through:
  • Develop and globally release a Request for Information on data requirements for Health SDI:
    • Non-clinical health data 
    • Health related impact data (e.g. Earth Observation data to understand social, economic, and environmental impacts in the genesis and/or response to a health emergency). 
    • Open data and data restricted for limited use
  • Engage the health, geospatial and other support communities in a March 2021 Health SDI Summit to present and augment RFI responses
  • Capture insight from literature available from key health and geospatial associations on pandemic response successes and lessons learned.  
  • Develop a recommended interoperability data model and schema
  • Produce a CDS Report documenting Health SDI data model requirements and RFI responses along with detailed recommendations for prototyping of the data model in an OGC Innovation Program Pilot Initiative.
  • Present study results in appropriate venues and forums to encourage validation and adoption of its recommendations