As a cornerstone of public health, IT/IM should be and can be aligned with or directly linked to the public health essential services. The development and promotion of a common informatics lexicon and workforce engagement and training are critical to public health, especially for advancing data analysis, use, and dissemination capabilities. PHAB-ES-based IM strategic planning can be an essential first step for community collaborators to define the vision, objectives and measurable activities to advance the technology, research and practice of public health surveillance.