Data Modernization Maturity Model (DM3)
Your Path to Data-Driven Public HealthDM3 is your blueprint for transforming how your health department collects, manages, and uses data to serve your community.The Public Health Data Dilemma
The CDC’s Data Modernization Initiative (DMI) is in full swing, with unprecedented funding and attention focused on transforming public health data systems. Yet many health departments struggle to find practical, public health-specific guidance for their modernization journey. Clients often tell us – “We have data that is not comprehensive, and systems that don’t connect to one another. Our infrastructure was set up to do very different things than what we need them to do today.”
Legacy Systems That Don't Meet Today's Needs
- 70% of healthcare organizations still transmit care records via fax
- Critical data trapped in PDF reports and spreadsheets
- Systems designed for single-purpose programs, not comprehensive health monitoring
- Manual processes that drain staff time and create backlogs
The Public Health Context
Our data ecosystem was built for a different era:
- Siloed funding streams dictate how and when we collect data
- Programs operate independently with minimal data sharing
- Technology solutions designed for healthcare don’t fit public health needs
- Community partnerships require new approaches to data governance
Common Modernization Pitfalls
- Implementing new technology without addressing underlying processes
- Adopting private sector solutions that don’t account for public health realities
- Focusing on data collection without improving data use and sharing
- Missing opportunities to center equity and community needs
“We define data modernization as applying proven data management principles and practices within public health organizations to increase the transparency of data to inform decision-making at all levels of public health practice.”
Understanding Data Modernization
Data modernization isn’t just about new technology or hiring data scientists. It’s a journey unique to each public health department – shaped by their community’s needs, existing systems, and organizational culture. While each department’s path differs, the destination is the same: transparent, accessible, and actionable data that drives better public health decisions.
The CDC’s Data Modernization Initiative represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform public health data systems.
What is DM3?
DM3 is a comprehensive assessment framework built specifically for public health, designed to transform how health departments collect, manage, and use data to drive decisions. Unlike generic technology assessments or private sector frameworks, DM3 reflects the unique realities, constraints, and opportunities of public health practice. At its core, DM3 focuses on enabling data-driven decision-making at all levels of public health practice. This means ensuring that from community health workers to executive leadership, everyone has access to the data they need, when they need it, in a format they can use.
DM3 focuses on two fundamental aspects of data modernization: information transparency and optimal decision-making. It transforms how health departments collect, manage, and use data to drive equitable public health action.
Information Transparency
Ensures trusted, reliable data is readily available to those who need it for decision-making, when they need it, in a format they can use.
Optimal Decision-Making
Evaluates and improves how closely your organization approaches the most equitable, data-informed decisions possible.
How DM3 Works: Your Blueprint for Data Transformation
Each step in DM3 is intricately designed to equip your health department with an understanding of your current data state and develop a roadmap towards an enhanced future.
1. Assessment
We begin with a review of your documentation and open conversations with your team. Through this process, we glean insights into your unique strengths, aspirations, and potential roadblocks
2. Data Journeys & Mapping
We trace your data lifecycles, across all your teams, to shed light on users, their process, and areas for grow3.th.
3. Maturity Spectrum & Recommendations
Your place on the maturity spectrum highlights strengths and improvement areas, and offers actionable, high-impact recommendations.
Five Critical Domains
Traditional technology assessments often focus narrowly on systems, software, and technical specifications. But successful public health data modernization requires a more comprehensive approach that reflects the unique mission, challenges, and responsibilities of public health organizations
- Governance: we examine how your organization establishes trust, authority, and accountability over data assets to drive public health action
- Sustainability Practices: we evaluate your organization’s ability to maintain and grow capabilities over time through stable funding, workforce development, and operational excellence
- Partnerships: we assess how to manage relationships with data contributors and consumers while fostering meaningful collaboration across government agencies and community partners.
- Leadership: we will work with your leaders to understand how they build and maintains a data-driven culture through strategic vision, cultural transformation, and performance monitoring
- Equity and Power: In our culture, data is power – we will look at how your teams transform data from a surveillance tool into a mechanism for community self-determination, enabling vulnerable communities to drive decisions about their own health and wellbeing
Together, these domains provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating and improving your organization’s ability to leverage data for public health impact. By examining these interconnected elements, DM3 helps you build data systems that truly serve your public health mission.
Understanding Your DM3 Maturity Score
DM3 provides a nuanced view of your organization’s data modernization journey through a comprehensive scoring system that evaluates capabilities across all five domains. Each domain receives a score from 1-10, which then combines into an overall maturity rating.
Short-Term Recommendations (0-12 months)
These focus on foundational improvements that can be implemented quickly to build momentum and demonstrate early value. They often leverage existing capabilities and systems while establishing the groundwork for deeper transformation.
Long-Term Recommendations (1-3 years)
These strategic investments focus on sustainable transformation of your data capabilities, culture, and practices. Long-term recommendations outline the systematic changes needed to achieve higher levels of data modernization maturity.
Ready to Transform Your Public Health Data Practices?
The journey to modern, equitable, and effective public health data systems starts with understanding where you are and charting a clear path forward. Your DM3 assessment results provide that foundation. Let’s explore how DM3’s recommendations can be tailored to your organization’s unique context, priorities, and resources.