METHODS: Working in collaboration with the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services and CSTE, the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) at CDC has developed message mapping guides for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and congenital syphilis that will allow notifiable disease data to be transmitted to CDC in an HL-7 message. Additionally, DSTDP has been encouraging and assisting jurisdictions transition from siloed information systems to more integrated ones, and it is developing a data repository at CDC to store relational as well as legacy STD surveillance data.
RESULTS: As of October 2015, only 16 jurisdictions were using a siloed information system for STDs. Twenty-one of 59 said they were planning to change to a new information system in the next 1-2 years. Eight of 21 were planning to change to the NEDSS Based System and 7 of 21 were planning to change to MAVEN. STD message mapping guides were being piloted in 6 jurisdictions.
CONCLUSIONS: STD surveillance data are increasingly being incorporated into more integrated information systems at local and state levels that can receive and transmit HL-7 messages. However, relational STD data cannot yet be received at CDC. Until such data can be received and provisioned, the benefits of integrated state systems and HL-7 messaging cannot be realized at the national level.