METHODS: NMI takes advantage of advances in information technology, mass adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), improved procedures for conducting surveillance, and the opportunity to improve links between healthcare and public health. Efforts in the second year focused on piloting MMGs and providing technical assistance, defining the steps to onboard health jurisdictions to send data using the new guides, and developing additional disease-specific message mapping guides, while transitioning to a new set of contractors.
RESULTS: NMI’s second year yielded a more streamlined and consistent message structure, a repeatable process for developing and implementing message mapping guides and successful data provisioning processes. A projection of when CDC will be able to accept transmissions for additional conditions will help health departments plan their resources.
CONCLUSIONS: NMI is updating NNDSS by incorporating technology and standards to make the processes more efficient and the data more relevant and usable. The CDC programs who use the data are critical partners, not only in defining content and data processing rules, but in guiding how the system is implemented at CDC.