Digital Government Strategy Report for the Department of Health and Human Services
1.2. Ensure all new IT systems follow the open data, content, and web API policy and operationalize agency.gov/developer pages
Overall Status: in-progress
1.2.1. Document policy for architecting new IT systems for openness by default
URL of policy:
Describe policy:
1.2.2. Operationalize /developer page
URL of page:
2.1. Engage with customers to identify at least two existing major customer-facing services that contain high-value data or content as first-move candidates to make compliant with new open data, content, and web API policy.
Overall Status: completed
2.1.1. Paragraph on customer engagement approach
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: HHS has an established commitment to API-enabling important health datasets. At the launch of our digital strategy site, our inventory of health databases includes more than 280 health-related databases. Of these, 32 have already been API-enabled (http://www.healthdata.gov/dataset/search?f%5b0%5d=sm_ckan_media_format%3AAPI). Our customer engagement includes both a blog (by our CTO) and a webpage in the Open Data section of our Digital Strategy site highlighting how those API-enabled databases are being utilized in the public domain. There is a direct Call for Action asking customers to recommend datasets that should be API-enabled and discuss how the information might be used. Customers are directed to healthdata.gov, where they are asked to suggest other health databases for inclusion. The list of databases from which customers are asked to make recommendations is detailed at www.healthdata.gov. Two APIs that we have recently made public are included below.
2.1.2. Prioritized list of systems (datasets)
System Name: HealthCare Finder API (http://healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api)
System Description: All of the data used on the Finder.HealthCare.gov web application is available through the API. There are multiple collections of data available through the API including Public Options Data, Individual and Family Health Insurance Options Data, and Small Group Insurance Options Data. Visit http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/open-data/index.html to learn more about this API.
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT
Unique Investment Identifier: N/A
System Name: HealthData.gov Catalog API (http://healthdata.gov/catalog-api)
System Description: The HealthData.gov API is used to provide software developers with programmatic access to the contents of our data catalog. The API can be used to find recently added datasets, to search the catalog, to download the contents of the catalog for analysis, or to build a new data catalog tool. Visit http://www.healthdata.gov/catalog-api to learn more about this API.
System Scope: both
Main Customer: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT
Unique Investment Identifier: N/A
2.2. Make high-value data and content in at least two existing, major customer-facing systems available through web APIs, apply metadata tagging and publish a plan to transition additional high-value systems
Overall Status: in-progress
2.2.1. Make 2+ systems (datasets) available via web APIs with metadata tags
URL of page: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api
URL of page: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthdatagov-catalog-api
2.2.2. Publish plan on future activity
Name of system: HealthCare Finder API
Description of system: All of the data used on the Finder.HealthCare.gov web application is available through the API. There are multiple collections of data available through the API including Public Options Data, Individual and Family Health Insurance Options Data, and Small Group Insurance Options Data.
Scope of system: external
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Endpoint URL: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthcare-finder-api
Summary of policy compliance: This open data set has been made available to the public through an API. It allows our customers to compare the benefits, coverage options and cost estimates for thousands of health insurance plans.
Name of system: Healthdata.gov Catalog API
Description of system: The HealthData.gov API is used to provide software developers with programmatic access to the contents of our data catalog. The API can be used to find recently added datasets, to search the catalog, to download the contents of the catalog for analysis, or to build a new data catalog tool.
Scope of system: both
Main Customers: Public, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers, Health IT Community
Endpoint URL: http://www.healthdata.gov/data/dataset/healthdatagov-catalog-api
Summary of policy compliance: This open data set has been made available to the public through an API. It allows our customers to find, search, and download the contents of hundreds of HHS health data sets.
4.2. Establish an agency-wide governance structure for developing and delivering digital services
Overall Status: in-progress
Paragraph on Governance: The Department of Health and Human Services has had formal web governance, issued by the Secretary, sine 2006. The Department’s Web Council undertook revision and modernization in 2011. That effort was put on hiatus when it became apparent that the forthcoming Federal Digital Strategy would embrace governance, possibly taking it to new directions.
Now, with Digital Strategy guidance in hand, HHS has resumed work. The revised governance being written today is significantly different in that it not only expands the existing Web Governance to embrace the breadth of digital communications, but also, for the first time, embraces the management of Information Technology investment.
HHS Governance is expressed as a set of over-arching Principles which are then implemented through a more dynamic (living document) Management Plan. The Principles are being written by the HHS Web Council (digital governance) and the Administration and Management Domain/Information Technology Steering Committee (IT investment) for presentation to the HHS Secretary for adoption. We expect to take public comment as part of our process.
URL to Governance Document:
5.2. Develop an enterprise-wide inventory of mobile devices and wireless service contracts
Overall Status: completed
5.2.1. Develop wireless and mobile inventory
Bureau/Component: Department of Health and Human Services
Inventory Status: in-progress
Bureau/Component: Food and Drug Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Health Resources and Services Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Indian Health Services
Inventory Status: in-progress
Bureau/Component: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: National Institutes of Health
Inventory Status: in-progress
Bureau/Component: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Inventory Status: in-progress
Bureau/Component: Administration for Children and Families
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Administration for Community Living
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Departmental Management
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Program Support Center
Inventory Status: completed
Bureau/Component: Office of the Inspector General
Inventory Status: completed
5.3. Evaluate the government-wide contract vehicles in the alternatives analysis for all new mobile-related procurements
Overall Status: not-started
Paragraph on policy:
6.3. Ensure all new digital services follow digital services and customer experience improvement guidelines
Overall Status: not-started
Paragraph on policy:
7.1. Engage with customers to identify at least two existing priority customer-facing services to optimize for mobile use.
Overall Status: completed
7.1.1. Paragraph on customer engagement approach
Paragraph on customer engagement approach: HHS has been carefully monitoring (through metrics) the growth in use of mobile devices to access web-based information, noting carefully the sites (and content within those sites) that are of greatest interest. As of November 2012, HHS has 15 websites that are mobile enabled (either m dot or responsive design) and the department has 25 mobile apps available. Customer engagement includes a blog and a Mobile section of our Digital Strategy site. Our existing mobile sites and mobile apps are all listed here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/mobile-sites.html and here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/mobile-apps.html There is a direct Call for Action asking customers to recommend additional websites for mobile enabling. HHS has chosen not to restrict what sites might be mobile enabled. Customers may nominate any site. Nominations will be factored along with metrics information on mobile activity to determine the Department’s priorities. HHS is committed to making all new websites mobile-ready. Two mobile sites that we have recently made public are included below.
7.1.2. Prioritized list of systems (datasets)
System Name: Medicare.gov (http://www.medicare.gov/)
System Description: Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. The implementation of responsive design on this site allows us to support traditional desktop PCs, tablets, and smartphones all from one URL and code base. Learn more about the redesign process here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/medicare-responsive-design.html We have made the responsive design code available to the public here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/blog/2012/10/medicare-assets.html
System Scope: external
Main Customer: Public, Seniors, People with Disabilities, Health Care Providers, Caregivers, Families
Unique Investment Identifier: N/A
System Name: HHS Digital Strategy Site (http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy)
System Description: HHS uses this website to engage the public, report progress on the implementation of the Digital Government Strategy, showcase digital strategy best practices, and test new technology and tools. Visit http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/ to learn more.
System Scope: both
Main Customer: Public, HHS employees, federal employees, OMB, GSA, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers
Unique Investment Identifier: N/A
7.2. Optimize at least two existing priority customer-facing services for mobile use and publish a plan for improving additional existing services
Overall Status: in-progress
URL of plan:
7.2.1. Report on services
Service Name: Medicare.gov
Service Description: Medicare.gov
System Scope: external
Primary customers: Public, Seniors, People with Disabilities, Health Care Providers, Caregivers, Families
URL of service: https://www.medicare.gov/
Summary of optimizations: The implementation of responsive design on this site allows us to support traditional desktop PCs, tablets, and smartphones all from one URL and code base. Learn more about the redesign process here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/mobile/medicare-responsive-design.html We have made the responsive design code available to the public here: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/blog/2012/10/medicare-assets.html
Service Name: Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. Our customers use this site to find, compare, and enroll in Medicare plans and they can now do this anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
Service Description: Medicare.gov is the consumer website for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates. Our customers use this site to find, compare, and enroll in Medicare plans and they can now do this anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
System Scope: both
Primary customers: Public, HHS employees, federal employees, OMB, GSA, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Developers
URL of service: http://www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/
Summary of optimizations: The implementation of responsive design on this site allows us to support traditional desktop PCs, tablets, and smartphones all from one URL and code base. Our use of responsive design puts the principles of the Digital Government Strategy into practice. This new and improved version of the HHS Digital Strategy website allows our customers to provide feedback anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
Service Name: HHS Digital Strategy Website
Service Description: HHS Digital Strategy Website
Service Name: HHS uses this website to engage the public, report progress on the implementation of the Digital Government Strategy, showcase digital strategy best practices, and test new technology and tools.
Service Description: HHS uses this website to engage the public, report progress on the implementation of the Digital Government Strategy, showcase digital strategy best practices, and test new technology and tools.
8.2. Implement performance and customer satisfaction measuring tools on all .gov websites
Overall Status: in-progress
8.2.1. Implement performance measurement tool
Implemented Digital Analytics Program: yes
If Not, Describe Implementation:
Percent of websites covered:
URL of performance data:
8.2.2. Implement customer satisfaction tool
Describe Implementation: HHS some time ago developed a “Voice of Consumer” (VOC) tool which is deployed on many of our priority websites. We use the information gathered by this tool to make improvements to the sites. In the spirit of shared resources as outlined in the Digital Strategy, HHS has offered to make this tool, including its back-end reporting, available at no cost to all federal agencies. Code is being made open source. Ironically, our ability to use our VOC tool more widely is limited by OMB’s so-called :fast-track” survey question approval process. OMB will only consider one website survey at a time, even if identical questions are to be used on multiple websites. Approval can take up to a month. At this rate, it will take HHS years to add customer surveys to all Departmental websites.
URL of performance data: www.hhs.gov/digitalstrategy/people-first/voice-of-consumer-tool.html
Last updated December 12, 2012 at 10:38 am