Key Objectives:
- Describe the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) process and information needs in order to implement CSTE position statements to support submission of data to the NNDSS and publication of data in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
- Understand the inter-relationship between Council of State and Territorial (CSTE) standardized position statements, the NNDSS case definitions web site, MMWR verification and publication criteria, and the content of Message Mapping Guides.
- Identify challenges encountered in implementing CSTE position statements.
- Compile and present suggestions for the CSTE standardized position statement template and a proposed model for the development of CSTE position statement which would incorporate recommendations for how to improve jurisdiction, CSTE and CDC collaboration.
Brief Summary:
Each year, CDC develops implementation plans for the NNDSS based upon approved CSTE position statements. CSTE and reporting jurisdictions may benefit from having a better understanding of the inter-relationship between CSTE position statements, the CDC NNDSS database of national surveillance case definitions, MMWR publication and verification criteria, Message Mapping Guides that define the data submitted in Health Level 7 case notifications to NNDSS, and guidance provided by CDC Programs. CSTE position statements represent information needed for the annual NNDSS implementation plan process, but they do not always contain all the information needed by the CDC NNDSS position statement implementation team. When information is either missing from a CSTE position statement (such as publication criteria) or is not consistent with the manner in which the NNDSS is being implemented (such as how conditions with disease-specific HL7 case notifications are being implemented), CDC NNDSS staff must coordinate meetings with the CDC Program Subject Matter Experts and with the CSTE position statement co-authors, to make implementation determinations. This can substantially delay and complicate the implementation process. In addition, if the CSTE co-authors do not amend the position statement after CSTE has approved the position statement, there may be inconsistencies between the position statement and the implementation plan for NNDSS. During this roundtable, the process for implementing a CSTE position statement will be explained. In preparation for the round table, a gap analysis will be performed to identify challenges with the implementation of the position statements and determine what additional information may be needed within the CSTE position statement templates. Based on identified gaps, suggestions will be developed for the CSTE standardized position statement template and for how to improve jurisdiction, CSTE, and CDC collaboration.