Plant Health Information System (PHIS)

The Data Management Team (DMT) was first recommended in the Concept of Operations document for PHIS. This team has been recognized as a necessity by past program structures and will be responsible for providing on-site support and overall data management pertaining to the program, whether it is emergency or domestic. The DMT will consist of:

• Data Management Specialist provides overall coordination of data management, works with the Unified Command, Command and General Staff, Technical Working Group, Regional Program Managers, and National Program Coordinators in defining data requirements and system usage. The Data Management Specialist is also responsible for creating unique views into the data per the programs request.
• IT Specialist provides support of hardware, software, and network connectivity to support the PHIS.
• GIS Specialist provides support for geospatial analysis and reporting of data associated to a program.

Along side the DMT is the necessity for Regional Program Managers, National Program Coordinators, National Program Science Leaders, and others to be involved with the development of data requirements (data elements, data collection, data integration, data analysis, and reporting). The Program Managers can bring key policy, coordination, and leadership perspectives to the data requirement development. The involvement of Regional and National Program Coordinators is essential to the operational flow of information. Without these roles being filled, data requirements will not properly be defined, a lack of understanding on how the program is functioning will exist, and bottlenecks in the reporting chain or the inability to develop efficient reports will be revealed.