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Implementing syndromic surveillance: a practical guide informed by the early experience
Kenneth D Mandl1, J Marc Overhage, Michael M Wagner
1Children's Hospital Informatics Program, Division of Emergency Medicine, Center for Biopreparedness, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. kenneth_mandl@harvard.edu
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA
|November 25, 2003
Summary
Syndromic surveillance detects health indicators before diagnosis for early detection of bioterrorism and public health issues. This guide helps deploy these systems for improved health monitoring and safety.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Informatics
- Epidemiology
- Biodefense
Background:
- Syndromic surveillance monitors health indicators before confirmed diagnoses.
- It tracks behavioral patterns, symptoms, and signs from various data sources.
- Early detection is crucial for infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a guide for deploying syndromic surveillance systems.
- To inform informaticians, public health managers, and practitioners.
- To highlight the utility of syndromic surveillance beyond bioterrorism.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing individual and population health indicators.
- Tracking data from diverse sources before laboratory confirmation.
- Developing and deploying syndromic surveillance systems locally, regionally, and nationally.
Main Results:
- Syndromic surveillance facilitates early detection of potential health threats.
- The technology has broad applications in public health, clinical medicine, and research.
- Systems are being developed and deployed across various governmental levels.
Conclusions:
- Syndromic surveillance is a valuable tool for proactive public health.
- Its applications extend to patient safety, quality improvement, and research.
- This report serves as a foundational guide for system implementation.