199460 Outbreak investigation data management for local public health departments: Staying on top of the wave

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 12:50 PM

Phyllis Rocco, RN, MPH , Phrst 6, Buncombe County Health Center, Asheville, NC
Ginger Bumby , Phrst 6, Buncombe County Health Center, Asheville, NC
  
Many challenges face local Health Departments in disease outbreak investigation. This presentation focuses on challenges in notification, alert, and activation of local Health Department outbreak investigation response with a focus on initial data management. Participants will be introduced to an Excel-based, user-friendly, field-tested basic outbreak data management tool that enables localities to organize a response quickly and to effectively track and organize outbreak data including demographics, lab tests, contacts, exposures, sites, and follow-up. The tool is searchable, flexible, and data can be quickly deidentified and imported into analysis software such as EpiInfo. The tool also includes a template for NIMS-compliant situation reporting to promote efficient and informative briefings.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss challenges of initial outbreak investigation and data management for local public health. 2. Demonstrate use of an Excel-based outbreak data management tool for local public health.

Keywords: Outbreaks, Data/Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My team developed this tool; we all have used it in multiple responses, have presented it to multiple audiences, and have trained local Health Department personnel on its use. Training, planning, coordinating, and organizing educational activities and participating in outbreak response have been core activities for me and my team for 3 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Outbreak Investigations
See more of: Epidemiology