New $1.6 Million Endowment to Support Next Generation Health Information Technology Research
The Center for Population Health Information Technology (CPHIT) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has established a $1.6 million endowment to ensure the continuation of research related to health analytics tools. The endowment, announced by Keshia Pollack Porter, PhD, MPH, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management, will support the development of new technologies in the field.
CPHIT founder and co-Director Jonathan Weiner, DrPH, discussed the evolution of health information technology and the significance of the new endowment in a recent Q&A. Weiner, who has spent his entire career at the Bloomberg School, witnessed the transformation of health information technology from relying on mainframe computers to the current sophisticated data analytics tools.
The Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG) System, developed by Weiner and his team, is a set of software-based algorithms used to understand diagnosis and medication patterns in patients and populations. It is widely used by public and private health systems globally. The ACG System is currently used in about 24 countries, impacting over 250 million lives weekly.
While the ACG System generates significant revenue, which is reinvested in research and development, the $1.6 million endowment will provide a sustainable source of funding for future projects. The endowment’s interest, currently around $65,000 annually, will be used to support innovative research and proof-of-concept pilots in areas such as data sciences and digital health.
Weiner emphasized that while the ACG System is a groundbreaking tool, it is not permanent. The endowment will help CPHIT develop the “next ACGs” and explore new ideas that might not be easily funded otherwise. This forward-thinking approach will enable the center to stay at the forefront of health information technology research.
The establishment of this endowment is seen as a significant development in the field of health information technology. It demonstrates a successful model where revenue generated from a research product is reinvested to support future innovation. Weiner hopes that this model could be replicated elsewhere within the university or other institutions.
For young people considering a career in health information technology, Weiner stresses the importance of this field in public health and healthcare. He encourages students to develop their digital expertise, whether as users, managers, or future leaders in the field.
