Office of Informatics and Analytics
Building a robust data infrastructure that guides best practices for data sharing, interoperability, analysis, and reporting for the Tennessee Department of Health .Turning Data & Information Into Knowledge
OIA advances Public Health Practice by turning data and information into knowledge people can use every day.
Since its inception in 2016, OIA has worked steadily to build a robust data infrastructure that guides best practices for data sharing, interoperability, analysis, and reporting for the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH).
Mission
To enable a trusted leader in providing data-driven solutions for public health practice in Tennessee.
Values
- Excellence: We strive to deliver innovative services and solutions of the highest quality.
- One Voice: We endeavor to be reliable and cohesive in how we operate and communicate.
- Integrity: We commit to serve with consistency, transparency, and honesty.
- Cross-sector Collaboration: We intend to mindfully leverage synergy, collective knowledge and diversity of stakeholder ideas.
- People First: We commit to balance the need for an individual's privacy with opportunities for improvement in public health.
Vision
To develop, use, and promote best practices of informatics, data governance, and analytics that drive insightful public health decision making for TDH and its partners.
Organization
OIA consists of three units that work on specific aspects of the data lifecycle: Data Governance, Core Informatics, and Advanced Analytics & Visualization. Links to information about each of these OIA units are in the left menu bar.
Contact
Core Informatics
Advanced Analytics & Visualization
Data Governance
If you have any questions or comments you would like to share, click on the link below to enter your information in the Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) Comments, Questions and Feedback form.
Advanced Analytics & Visualization (AAV)
We are public health scientists funded by the CDC to utilize data from the Tennessee Department of Health to provide targeted information to support prevention, education, and intervention locally and statewide to reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality in Tennessee. We apply best practices in public health and population science methodology (epidemiologic methods, statistics, and data management science) to support providing accurate and timely numbers and statistics.
These methods underlie the dashboards and data briefs and other reports and publications: data support data briefs, reports, dashboards, abstracts, presentations, and publications. We have several ongoing analyses to address specific questions of interest. See below for more details.
AAV Services
Contact
If you have any questions or comments you would like to share, click on the link below to enter your information in the Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) Comments, Questions and Feedback form. All information shared will remain confidential. You may also contact us directly at TDH.Analytics@tn.gov.
Core Informatics
Core Informatics - Public Health informatics is the effective use of information and information technology to improve population health outcomes. Informatics is an applied information science that designs the blueprints for the complex data systems that keep information secure, usable and responsive to the user's needs.
Mission
To enable and support Tennessee Department of Health programs in the use of their data to inform business decisions and actions by acquiring, developing, and applying public health informatics practices and principles.
Values
- Collaboration – We promote teamwork through proactive and meaningful engagement of our stakeholders
- Excellence – We strive to deliver the highest quality services using public health informatics-based practices
- Innovation – We value sustainable and appropriate informatics innovation to improve public health
- Integrity – We commit to serve with consistency, transparency, and honesty
- Leadership – We endeavor to provide knowledgeable, courageous, trustworthy, and principled leadership
- Stewardship – We aim to use resources efficiently and effectively
Vision
Tennessee Department of Health will have systematic, reproducible, and well documented solutions supporting its public health program needs and Information Technology in accordance with informatics best practices.
Core Informatics Services
Informatics Support
- Interoperability Standards Development
- Consultation and technical assistance with regards to standards implementation
- Standards Training
- HL7 CDA Training
- HL7 CDA Consultation
- HL7 V2 Messaging Consultation
- Vocabulary Support
IDS
- Data integration & linkage services
- Data/Source Documentation
- Value adds to existing data sources
- Geocoding Support
- IDS Onboarding
Partner Engagement
- Trading Partner Registration (TPR) assistance/training
- TPR administrative support
- Federal Incentive Program Support
- Promoting Interoperability program
- Meaningful Use (MU)
- Electronic partner onboarding support and consultation
- Public health reporting transport consulting
Contact
If you have any questions or comments you would like to share, click on the link below to enter your information in the Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) Comments, Questions and Feedback form. All information shared will remain confidential. You may also contact us directly at TDH.Informatics@tn.gov.
Data Governance
TDH's Data Governance Office develops, uses, and promotes best practices in data sharing that drive data-driven decision-making.
Scope and Intent
The Data Governance Office focuses on collaborating and using health data legally, ethically, purposefully, and consistent with the department's mission to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity for people in Tennessee.
Guiding Principles
The guiding principles that inform everyday operations of the Data Governance Office include:
• Accountability • Alignment • Collaboration • Customer-Focus • Excellence • Transparency
Responsibilities
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
TDH holds an active Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) with the HHS Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). The TDH IRB is responsible for the review of research studies to ensure that human subjects in research are protected, and research complies withapplicable federal and state law. IRBs review and make determinations about human subjects research, non-human subjects research, and public health surveillance.
Data Request Management
Daily management of requests for TDH data and dissemination of data requests to the appropriate pathway for fulfilment. Data Governance staff oversee and report on data requests in the following classifications from submission to fulfillment: data requests coming from TDH employees and Public Health Authorities; data requests that support research and public health surveillance; requests for data that are publicly or readily available.
Data Sharing Consulting
Standardize best practices, create and disseminate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to managing data. Examples include SOP for Aggregate data release and SOP for securely sending data.
Contact
Contact the Office of Data Governance directly through the email addresses below:
Data Governance - DataGovernance.Health@tn.gov
Institutional Review Board (IRB) - TDH-IRB.Health@tn.gov
Complete a New Data Request for data, documents, or analysis.
Data Request Form
Complete the form below to request data, documents, or analysis, or contact:
Data Manager
Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA)
Phone: 615-741-1954
Fax: 615-253-5187
Email: Data.Health@tn.gov
Institutional Review Board
The Tennessee Department of Health Institutional Review Board (TDH IRB) serves to support research activities while ensuring to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects involved in research.
Human subject means a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research: Obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or interaction with the individual, and, uses studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens; or Obtains, uses, studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens.
Research means a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Activities that meet this definition constitute research for purposes of this policy, whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research activities.
In order to start your application to TDH IRB please click on the link below to launch the iMedRIS application –
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If your project meets the definition of Human subject or Research then an IRB review is required. These definitions may be reviewed at https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp
Click link below
No activities may be initiated prior to the IRB review and decision. A decision letter will be available following the review.
When a complete IRB has been received and all initial questions have been answered, the submission will be referred to the appropriate IRB member(s) for review. The convened IRB meets monthly; however, the length of time may vary based upon the number of times it is returned for corrections prior to being sent for a member review.
Once submitted the IRB staff reviews and returns for additional questions/clarifications or additional documents. When these are received, the Data Stewards reviews the requested data and provides a recommendation or they do not recommend the data be used in the project. The Data Steward may have additional clarifications or questions, if so; the submission will be returned for responses. Once these steps are completed, the submission will either be sent to a member(s) for subcommittee review or placed on the agenda for full committee review. Once a member receives the submission, they have two (2) weeks to complete their review.
IRB approval is for a 12-month period from the original approval. You will be required to submit a continuing review at least 30 days prior to the expiration date. If the continuation is approved another 12-month approval is granted.
To make changes to your study, including adding procedures, research personnel, or documentation, log into iMedRIS and submit the “Amendments” form. This form will give you an opportunity to modify your original application and submit new documentation to the IRB for review and approval. These changes may not be implemented prior to the approval of the amendment.
All study staff are require to have CITI training. A basic course in biomedical research, social/behavioral research, or research with records of lab specimens only must be completed with a score of 80% or above on each module. A report identifying the completed modules must be submitted. https://about.citiprogram.org/en/homepage/
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This Page Last Updated: June 11, 2026 at 3:54 PM