On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
The technology that makes up the system and processes in public health may be lagging behind the course of innovation compared to other industries. This is where the challenges in public health informatics come in. But what is Public Health Informatics all about? Join us in another MITRE episode where Dr. Brittani L. Harmon, the Public Health Lead and Informatics Expert at the MITRE Corporation, joins Dr. Charlotte Huntley for another informative and value-packed conversation. In this episode, Dr. Harmon shares her journey from an aspiring medical doctor to discovering her passion for public health. She elaborates on her role at MITRE and the intersection between public health and informatics.
Meet Brittani L. Harmon, DrPH, MHA
Dr. Harmon joined MITRE in April 2021 and currently is a Public Health and Informatics Lead in the Public Health Systems Innovation and Transformation Department within the Public Health Division. In this role, she leads and contributes to a variety of public health and informatics projects that support the Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Harmon is a public health practitioner with more than 17 years of experience in a variety of public health and healthcare settings at the local, state, federal, and private levels. Prior to her role with the MITRE Corporation, she served as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Doctor of Public Health Program Coordinator for the Department of Health Policy and Management in the College of Public Health at the University of Georgia. While at UGA, she developed curriculum, research, and taught in the areas of leadership, health policy, management principles, quality improvement, health informatics, and practice-based research. She also led university initiatives in online and hybrid learning.
Prior to her work in academia, Dr. Harmon completed the Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship (APHIF) with the Virginia Department of Health and the Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these roles, she managed the implementation of disease surveillance and electronic health records systems, conducted the training and education of health practitioners and information system users, and completed various system and program evaluation projects on a wide variety of topics.
Additionally, she completed the Applied Public Health Informatics Fellowship (APHIF) with the Virginia Department of Health and the Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In these roles, she managed the implementation of disease surveillance and electronic health records systems, conducted the training and education of public health practitioners and information system users, evaluated the use of technology and systems, and provided recommendations on improvements, and completed various system and program evaluation projects on a wide variety of topics.
Dr. Harmon holds a DrPH and an MHA with a concentration in health services policy and management from the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health and a BS in Health Sciences with a concentration in pre-professional health studies from Clemson University.
Listen To This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
Conversation Highlights
Dr. Harmon's academic journey and her transition to a career in public health
What Dr. Harmon is focused on at MITRE and her scope of expertise
Dr. Harmon sheds light on how technology can be leveraged to improve process and data quality in decision-making
What is Informatics and how it support the people in public health
The evolving role of technology and informatics in public health
The challenges in public health when it comes to technology
The correctional health and congregate living settings project that Dr. Harmon led
How public health is complex with so many different players involved
The importance of considering diverse perspectives and stakeholders in public health problem-solving.
Dr. Harmon's insights into the changing landscape of the public health field.
I use technology and think about technology and how we can better support the people in public health or epidemiology. And so it's how we better have systems that help us improve processes and prove data quality.” - Dr. Brittani L. Harmon
Other Links Mentioned In This Episode
MITRE
Keep In Touch
Podcast Links
Enjoying the podcast? Please write a favorable review of the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations Podcast in Apple Podcasts.
Listen to the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations Podcast (PHEC Podcast) in Spotify.
Listen to the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations Podcast (PHEC Podcast) in Google Podcasts.
Listen to the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations Podcast (PHEC Podcast)on other podcast platforms.
Like This Episode?
Click links below to share this episode with your network!
Comment below with your favorite takeaway!
Public Health Consulting To Support You
DrCHHuntley LLC is a public health consulting firm that specializes in epidemiology consulting, supporting large nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida that serve Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We also provide nationwide public health consulting and epidemiology consulting support to BIPOC organizations across the United States.