Using Syndromic Surveillance Data to Inform Programs Strategies and Policies

Tuesday, June 21, 2016: 1:00 PM
Summit Hall 2, Egan Convention Center
Violanda Grigorescu , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Julia Gunn , Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA
Janet Hamilton , Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL
David Atrubin , Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL

Key Objectives:
1/ Understand the use of timely emergency departments data provided by hospitals to local and state syndromic surveillance systems to inform non-infectious disease public health programs and surveillance efforts   2/ Identify strategies to promote and enhance the use of syndromic surveillance data by any public health programs and surveillance efforts needing timely information to promptly develop and implement prevention and response strategies.   3/ Demonstrate the value of syndromic surveillance through enhanced collaboration between public health (government agencies), health care (hospitals), and community organizations.

Brief Summary:
Electronic health data transactions and large public health databases are increasingly used for epidemiological analyses and surveillance that inform public health decision makers. The use of near real-time patient data enables public health authorities to conduct timely assessments of population health that assist with determining and assessing the implementation of public health actions. This is particularly important for syndromic surveillance that includes event detection, situation awareness, and response management. In the past few years, the use of syndromic surveillance expanded due to its ability to meet the increasing needs for timely data to inform different public health programs and surveillance efforts. For instance, the electronic health data submitted by hospitals’ emergency departments (EDs) to syndromic surveillance platforms can be a great resource for non-infectious disease programs that may not have access to timely information when there is an urgent public health concern or need to assess the impact of related acute events. During the first part of this round table, the participants will hear from local and state syndromic surveillance programs that used the data reported by hospitals’ EDs to inform key initiatives such as injury and drug use monitoring and prevention. In the second part of the round table, interactive and moderator facilitated conversations will focus on the expanded use of syndromic surveillance due to its capacity to serve multiple purposes given the data source (electronic health records) and timely provision.  Participants will be encouraged to discuss and identify strategies that can facilitate greater application of syndromic surveillance for developing better situational awareness and addressing important public health practice needs wihtin the context of changing health care landscape that resulted from the most recent health care reforms. The increasing needs for timely syndromic surveillance data can be achieved through enhanced coordination and standing partnership between public health agencies and health care systems. In addition, greater application of syndromic surveillance data also generates more opportunities for collaboration between infectious and non-infectious disease public health programs and surveillance.