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Supporting evolution of the CDC's emergency response

Key takeaways

During the COVID-19 pandemic public health departments required additional health experts and resources to develop program materials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tapped Maximus to support its epidemiology task force, providing information management support services along with IT, research, and modernization expertise. The team’s work enabled matching of state lab data for daily virus test results and helped reduce school transmission rates.

Related topics

Federal Government Modernization Federal Health

Supporting Evolution of the CDC’s Emergency Response

Situation

Since 2012, Maximus has provided integrated, responsive information management support services for the CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). This support was crucial when the pandemic required unprecedented response efforts during a time of uncertainty for the CDC and the Nation.

Challenge 

NCIRD needed additional team members to support response tasks with internal and external stakeholders. Additionally, the epidemiology task force faced reliability issues, including the inability to rapidly match patient IDs with lab specimen IDs within the Enterprise Laboratory Information Management System, delaying test results. 

Solution 

Maximus provided integrated, efficient, cost-effective information management and IT services, research expertise, and modernization experience, including:

  • Improved testing speed and accuracy by resolving patient and lab specimen data matches
  • Strategic recommendations to limit virus spread based on transmission factors
  • Cleaning and analysis of international data, enabling actionable pandemic response recommendations
  • Linking of the public, epidemiologists, and healthcare providers to improve communication and trust
  • Response to respiratory virus inquiries with uninterrupted analytic and staffing support
  • Augmented technical expertise to execute and maintain outbreak, response, and prevention (ORP) services for incoming inquiries
  • Contributions to public health pandemic community publications and key data reports to agency leadership
  • Assistance in development of a contact-tracing strategy

A trusted partnership made even stronger with integrated services.  

Supporting CDC's National Center for Immunizations & Respiratory Diseases. Information management support services. IT Services. Modernization expertise. Research expertise for scientific setting.

How We Did It 

The Maximus approach was successful not only due to our long-trusted partnership with the CDC but also the integration of innovative, transformative solutions during a time of monumental change. Maximus experts met all CDC technical and security standards within the NCIRD requirements for a scientific setting in its delivery of:

  • Data management and data quality support
  • Statistical analysis
  • Survey design and analysis
  • Scientific information support
  • Applications programming support

Results

  • Data cleaning and analysis improved speed and accuracy of COVID-19 testing
  • Infectious disease data understanding and recommendations reduced transmission rates in U.S. schools
  • Community publications and stakeholder reports improved information dissemination for data-driven decision-making
  • Uninterrupted technical expertise and service helped limit morbidity and mortality


The Maximus partnership approach was recognized by the CDC’s Outbreak, Response, and Prevention team for going above and beyond the call of duty. 

Interested in learning how Maximus can provide integrated support services for critical mission needs?

Contact us