NNDSS Modernization Initiative (NMI) State Implementation and Technical Assistance Update: Supporting the Implementation of HL7 Case Notification Messages

BACKGROUND: The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) is a nationwide collaboration that enables all levels of public health (local, state, territorial, federal, and international) to share health information to monitor, control, and prevent the occurrence and spread of state-reportable and nationally notifiable infectious diseases and some noninfectious diseases and conditions. NNDSS is a multifaceted program that includes the surveillance system for collection, analysis, and sharing of health data and also policies, laws, electronic messaging standards, people, partners, information systems, processes, and resources at the local, state, and national levels. With the evolution of technology and data and exchange standards, the NNDSS Modernization Initiative (NMI) is underway to enhance the system’s surveillance capabilities to provide more comprehensive, timely, and high-quality surveillance data than ever before. Part of the larger CDC Surveillance Strategy, NMI comprises three key areas: development of new Message Mapping Guides (MMGs) for HL7 case notifications to NNDSS; development and onboarding of the CDC Message Validation, Processing, and Provisioning System (MVPS), a component of the envisioned CDC Platform; and provision of technical assistance to public health jurisdictions to implement the new HL7 case notification messages.

METHODS:   APHL, CSTE, and CDC have established the NMI state implementation and technical assistance workgroup and are working together to accomplish its goal: to support jurisdictions in sending nationally notifiable disease data based on HL7 case notification MMGs to the MVPS. To accomplish this complex task, the workgroup has established three specific groups: technical implementation; communication and training; and evaluation. Given the complex and interconnected nature of NMI, all groups work closely with the MVPS team and the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System (NBS) team to coordinate activities, share lessons learned, and facilitate best practices.

RESULTS:   This presentation will discuss each of the three groups in the NMI state implementation and technical assistance workgroup and provide information on

• scope of work;
• roles and responsibilities;
• accomplishments to date;
• tools and resources;
• lessons learned; and
• best practices.

The presentation will provide examples of how information learned from each area during the NMI pilot phase is being applied to help guide and evaluate state implementation of the HL7 case notification messages. It will focus on solutions that are scalable and can be repurposed across jurisdictions.          

CONCLUSIONS: The best practices and lessons learned during the NMI pilot phase will be used to improve state implementation and the provision of technical assistance as NMI moves forward.