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Electronic laboratory reporting: barriers, solutions and findings.
J M Overhage1, J Suico, C J McDonald
1Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. joverhag@iupui.edu
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice : JPHMP
|November 21, 2001
Summary
Electronic laboratory reporting enhances public health surveillance for notifiable diseases. A reliable system, built on the Indiana Network for Patient Care, successfully identified over 1,000 cases, demonstrating scalability and effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Informatics
- Laboratory Science
Background:
- Electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) systems are crucial for timely surveillance of notifiable conditions.
- Existing infrastructure from the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC) provided a foundation for ELR implementation.
- Standardization of message structure and content is essential for effective ELR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement and assess a scalable electronic laboratory reporting system.
- To leverage the INPC infrastructure for enhanced public health surveillance.
- To evaluate the system's reliability and performance over a 36-month period.
Main Methods:
- Developed an ELR system utilizing the INPC infrastructure.
- Integrated data from multiple laboratories into the reporting system.
- Monitored system performance and case identification over 36 months.
Main Results:
- The ELR system demonstrated reliability and scalability across multiple laboratories.
- Over 1,000 cases of notifiable conditions were identified in April 2000.
- The system proved effective in delivering laboratory results for surveillance purposes.
Conclusions:
- Electronic laboratory reporting significantly improves surveillance for notifiable conditions.
- The implemented system is reliable, scalable, and effective for public health.
- Improvements in HL7 message format compliance and structured reporting are needed for optimal ELR performance.