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BACKGROUND: To improve the comprehensiveness, timelines and quality of surveillance data, CDC launched the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) Modernization Initiative (NMI) in 2014 as part of the Surveillance Strategy. It seeks to strengthen and modernize the NNDSS technological infrastructure so that it is based on interoperable, standardized data and exchange mechanisms. This collaboration between CDC, the health jurisdictions and public health partners is organized around three components: 1) development of new standards-based message mapping guides (MMGs) for case notification; 2) development of the Message Validation, Processing and Provisioning System (MVPS) to manage the messages; and 3) technical assistance to assist jurisdictions in implementing the new MMGs and using MVPS.
METHODS: NMI takes advantage of advances in information technology (IT), mass adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and improved procedures for conducting surveillance, and the opportunity to improve links between healthcare and public health. Efforts in the first year focused on the collaborative development, publication and testing of 6 priority MMGs; redesign of the flow of NNDSS data after it is received by CDC; plans for more efficiently processing and provisioning the data to improve transparency and access to data; and assisting the jurisdictions in implementing MMGs. Through ongoing process improvement efforts, refinements are identified and implemented.
RESULTS: The NMI saw accomplishments in its first year and continues to evolve. Progress was slower than hoped for, but key decisions put the project on a sound footing. Planning for the second phase is underway and will continue to solicit input from the submitting jurisdictions, the CDC programs and public health partners. Longer term, NMI activities for the second phase of the project include development and implementation of additional MMGs, full implementation and enhancement of the MVPS, ensuring effective use of standards and harmonization, retirement of the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS), and shaping future direction of the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) Base System (NBS).
CONCLUSIONS: NMI offers the opportunity to update NNDSS by incorporating technology and standards to make the processes more efficient and the data more relevant and usable. The NMI team is committed to identifying and implementing solutions that support both the public health jurisdictions submitting data and the programs utilizing the data. Effective planning, collaboration, and communication among all stakeholders will be critical to the success of the initiative. Please group this with other NMI updates