HHS launches refresh for HealthData.gov
A new look and feel for HealthData.Gov. (Screenshot via HealthData.Gov)
The Department of Health and Human Services has relaunched its health data repository HealthData.gov, overhauling the tools and dashboards used to promote better understanding and more efficient use of health data.
In a blog posted last week, Health Data Initiative Director Damon Davis said the site has been moved to DKAN, a Drupal-based, open source, open data platform developed by NuCivic, a government-focused software company.
Davis writes that the site is now in beta as his team tests the site’s performance, and look and feel.
Looking ahead, Davis said his team plans to install tools to promote better search, easy preview of charts and maps associated with data sets, and a possible system that would let users request and discuss data.
Data related to health care has come under increased scrutiny from the White House. When President Barack Obama announced DJ Patil as the nation’s first chief data scientist, a portion of the announcement focused on Patil’s future work on the Precision Medicine Initiative. That initiative aims to create more tailored treatment plans that factor in differences from patient to patient, using genomic data, lifestyle information and biological samples.
