ISDS News

If you missed the January 31st webinar entitled "Introduction to the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) and Its Potential Uses in Syndromic Surveillance", you may now download a pdf of the presentation slides or view a recording of the webinar below. You may also visit the webinar page in the ISDS webinar archives to learn more about the presenters and the information that was discussed.





ISDS would like to thank the presenters Dr. Clay Mann, Gamunu Wijetunge, and Bernice Boursiquot for their wonderful and informative presentation. If you would like to learn more about NEMSIS, create your own customizable report of EMS data, or get updated on the latest NEMSIS news visit www.NEMSIS.org.

ISDS member, Dr. Scott McNabb, and ISDS Board member, Dr. John Brownstein, were among the contributing authors of the article "Infectious disease surveillance and modelling across geographic frontiers and scientific specialties" that was recently published in the The Lancet Infectious Diseases. This article discusses the sharing of epidemic intelligence across global frontiers using new technologies and modelling that crosses scientific specialties for improved infectious disease surveillance for mass gatherings.

Read a summary of this article below and the full text in The Lancet to learn more.

Infectious disease surveillance and modelling across geographic frontiers and scientific specialties

Dr Kamran Khan MD a b n , Scott JN McNabb PhD c, Prof Ziad A Memish MD d e n, Rose Eckhardt MA b, Wei Hu BSc b, David Kossowsky BA b, Jennifer Sears BSc b, Julien Arino PhD f, Anders Johansson PhD g h, Maurizio Barbeschi PhD i n, Brian McCloskey MDj n, Bonnie Henry MD k n, Martin Cetron MD l, John S Brownstein PhD m n
Summary: 
Infectious disease surveillance for mass gatherings (MGs) can be directed locally and globally; however, epidemic intelligence from these two levels is not well integrated. Modelling activities related to MGs have historically focused on crowd behaviours around MG focal points and their relation to the safety of attendees. The integration of developments in internet-based global infectious disease surveillance, transportation modelling of populations travelling to and from MGs, mobile phone technology for surveillance during MGs, metapopulation epidemic modelling, and crowd behaviour modelling is important for progress in MG health. Integration of surveillance across geographic frontiers and modelling across scientific specialties could produce the first real-time risk monitoring and assessment platform that could strengthen awareness of global infectious disease threats before, during, and immediately after MGs. An integrated platform of this kind could help identify infectious disease threats of international concern at the earliest stages possible; provide insights into which diseases are most likely to spread into the MG; help with anticipatory surveillance at the MG; enable mathematical modelling to predict the spread of infectious diseases to and from MGs; simulate the effect of public health interventions aimed at different local and global levels; serve as a foundation for scientific research and innovation in MG health; and strengthen engagement between the scientific community and stakeholders at local, national, and global levels.
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As member service, ISDS likes to share information about its members with the ISDS community. ISDS staff depends on the help of others to notify us of member news. If you are an ISDS member and would like ISDS to share something, please send the information to Amanda at aschulte@syndromic.org.

The ISDS staff extends a warm welcome to the newest member of our team, Becky Zwickl. 


Becky is the new Public Health Analyst and will be working primarily on supporting the Syndromic Surveillance for Meaningful Use: Inpatient and Ambulatory Clinical Care Data project. We are very excited to have her with us, and we are looking forward to all of the work we will accomplish together.
Becky's bio: Becky Zwickl joined ISDS in 2012.  Her responsibilities mainly consist of coordinating and assisting with ISDS’s recommendations for public health use of electronic health record data from ambulatory and inpatient clinical care settings relating to implementation of Meaningful Use regulations.

Becky is in the process of completing a MPH at Boston University School of Public Health with concentrations in Health Policy and Management and Epidemiology.  During her time at Boston University she worked as an emergency preparedness support consultant providing preparation assistance to local public health departments.  In her role as a consultant, Becky also wrote grants and reports and provided research support. Becky has a BA in psychology from University of Michigan.Welcome Becky!

ASTHO, in association with the  Interim BioSense Governance Group, created a DRAFT Charter of the BioSense Governance Group and is requesting comments and suggestions from ISDS members.
You may view the Draft Charter below or download the pdf document here. 
Please write your comments in the "Post a Comment" section at the end of this entry or email your comments to Amanda at aschulte@syndromic.org by February 6, 2012.
Thank you for your feedback.--------------------------------------------------------------------Draft Charter of the BioSense 2.0 Governance GroupBioSense 2.0BioSense 2.0 is the web-accessibleplatform used to receive, store, maintain, process, analyze, and display data.It is a service for state, local, and territorial health agencies for datasharing and analysis. BioSense 2.0 can also be utilized as a tool for sharingdata that it contains between public health agencies.
BioSense ProgramThe BioSense Program, run bythe Centers for Disease Control (CDC), facilitates recognition and tracking ofhealth problems as they evolve, and provides public health officials with thedata, information and tools they need to better prepare for and respond, in acoordinated way, to threats to the health of the American people.

Participating JurisdictionThe term “participating jurisdiction” will be either alocal or state health jurisdiction operating under either statutory orregulatory authority to provide data to BioSense 2.0 and has agreed to theterms and conditions of the BioSense 2.0 Data Use Agreement (DUA).   The formal designation of a participatingjurisdiction in the BioSense 2.0 DUA is “Data Source”, UserThe term "User" is any authorized user ofdata available through BioSense 2.0. All users must be affiliated with aparticipating jurisdiction and be held to Terms and Conditions of Data Use andSecurity standards by the Data Source.
BioSense 2.0 Governance GroupThe BioSense 2.0 Governance Group was created in accordance with acooperative agreement between ASTHO and the CDC to ensure key stakeholderinvolvement in BioSense 2.0. The purpose of this group is to oversee thedevelopment and use of BioSense 2.0.
Roles of the BioSense 2.0 Governance Group:·      To provide representation from a diverse set ofpublic health stakeholders from state, local, and federal levels·      To set strategic priorities, overall policy, anddirection for BioSense 2.0·      To assure that overall system development isresponsive to data contributor and user input ·      To serve as a conduit for feedback andrecommendations from the constituents that the Governance Group’s membersrepresent·      To identify and recommend new categories of datasources to be added to BioSense 2.0 ·      To make recommendations for resolving disputesabout or violations of data use agreements for BioSense 2.0 ·      To form governance sub-committees and policyworkgroups as needed.
Governance Group members are expected to represent their participatingjurisdiction organizations and:·      Solicit input from their respectiveconstituencies·      Act as a conduit of information among theirorganizations and constituencies and the Governance Group·      Actively participate in conference calls andface to face meetings
Desired attributes ofGovernance Group members include:·      Interest and commitment to improving nationalsurveillance efforts·      Ability to fairly represent the views of theirconstituencies·      Familiarity with the assets and needs of theirconstituencies·      Knowledge and experience in syndromicsurveillance and policy·      Skill in collaboration and consensus·      Ability to attend face-to-face meetings andmonthly teleconferences
Composition of the BioSense 2.0 Governance GroupThe Governance Group shall be composed of 15 people, each with a singlevote on all matters under the purview of the Governance Group:·      4 Individuals shall represent the various publichealth associations that will utilize BioSense 2.0.  Specifically, there shall be one representativeeach from: o   TheAssociation of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)o   TheCouncil of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)o   TheNational Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)o   TheInternational Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS)·      3 Individuals shall represent the followingfederal data submitting agencies:o   TheU.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC)o   TheU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)o   TheU.S. Department of Defense (DOD)·       8Individuals shall represent the various groups which will be submitting data tothe BioSense 2.0 system:o   3shall be from state or territorial public health agencies o   3shall be from county or city public health agencies o   2shall be from data contributors which are non-public health agencies (such ashealthcare facilities, pharmacies, etc)
Selection of Governance Group Members: Representatives of ASTHO, CSTE, NACCHO, ISDS, CDC, VA, and DOD shall bechosen by their respective groups using whatever means each group sees fit touse.
Representatives of the 8 non-federal data submitting groups shall bechosen by secret-ballot election, facilitated by ASTHO, among the population ofBioSense 2.0 participating jurisdictions. Elections shall be held separately for state/territorial, county/city,and non-public health representatives.
For state/territorial and county/city elections, each participatingjurisdiction is permitted to nominate one representative as a candidate forelection in their respective categories.
For non-public health agency representative elections, theparticipating jurisdictions may nominate one candidate from a data-contributingfacility located within their jurisdiction. 
State and territorial data submitters may only vote in thestate/territorial elections, city and county may only vote in city/countyelections.  All participatingjurisdictions can vote in elections for the non public health agency representatives. 
For all elections, each participating jurisdiction may cast onevote. 
The top 3 vote-receivers from the state/territorial and county/cityelections, and the top 2 from non-public health elections, shall be therepresentatives on the Governance Group for the upcoming Term. 
Governance Group Terms of ServiceGovernance Group members will serve a term of two years to begin justfollowing their elections. 
These terms will be staggered as follows:1)     STand CC agencies: 2 members shall serve in the same 2-year term while 1 memberwill serve an overlapping 2-year term, staggered by one year.2)     NPHgroups: each of the two members shall serve overlapping 2-year terms, staggeredby one year.
The first Governance Group will hold elections for all 8 positions,with one each of ST, CC, and NPH groups to be designated with a term of onlyone year.  Upon expiration of theone-year terms, new elections will be held for these positions which will thenhave a normal term of two-years.
If any scheduling conflict prevents a member from attending anymeeting, the member ispermitted to designate a substitute, with voting rights, on acase-by-case basis.
Permanent vacancies created for any reason will be filled by selectionof an interim member as chosen by the four public health associations and, ifavailable, the member that has vacated the role. 
Governance Group Co-ChairsTo facilitate aspects of Governance Group function, a chairshall be elected.  The term of the Chairshall be one year, followed by one year as Past-Chair. The Past Chair shallserve as a backup when the chair is unable to participate for any period.The Chair will be elected – by secret ballot of the Groupmembership – with the Chair-elect  havingaccumulated the most votes.  In the caseof a tie between two members, a second vote will be held until one receives amajority.Upon completion of a Chair’s term, the Group will holdelections for a new Chair.The first Governance Group will hold elections for both aChair and a Past-Chair, with the position of Past-Chair having a term of oneyear.  -----Special procedures for the initial launch of the Group:  Representativesof the 8 non-federal data submitting groups shall be chosen by an interim groupconsisting of members from ASTHO, CSTE, NACCHO, and ISDS.  These shall be temporary memberships untilelections can be held.  One of the firstdecisions of this Governance Group shall be to determine when there will besufficient numbers of data submitters enrolled in BioSense 2.0 to makeelections feasible. Theresulting Group will be a Transitional Governing Group.TheTransitional Group will elect Co-Chairs. These will also be Transitional positions and will expire onceGovernance Group elections are held and the proper terms of office begin.-----PolicyFormation by the Governance GroupThe BioSense 2.0 Governance Group shall meet, in person or byconference call, on a periodic basis as determined by the Group in order todiscuss policy issues surrounding use of and participation in BioSense2.0.  Meeting frequency should be at least twice per year, but as manymeetings may be held as necessary. 
Policies under the purview of the Group include developmentof the roles and responsibilities for participants in BioSense2.0.  Policy proposals to be considered by the Governance Group maybe suggested by a member of the Group or by other BioSense participants.. If anissue is to be considered by the Governance Group, documents outlining policyproposals will be drafted (facilitated by ASTHO) and supplied to the Group forcomment, revision, and, votes for approval, if warranted.  Votingon PolicyVotes will be held at arranged meetings of the GovernanceGroup (in person or via teleconference).  In order to assure a voting member of the Governance Groupreceives sufficient informed input from those they represent, any issues forwhich a vote is required shall be presented to the Group at least two weeks inadvance of any scheduled vote.   A vote may only proceed when a quorum of at least 60% of thegovernance group participates.   Sufficient time will be given to discuss each issuescheduled for a vote prior to the vote itself.   The vote itself willbe an open-ballot vote (ie, by show of hands or verbal assent), but will not berecorded unless specifically requested. Passage of an issue shall require a majority of at least60% (sixty) percent of votes in the affirmative, however the goal shallalways be to strive for consensus. 
Changesto the BioSense 2.0 Governance CharterChanges to this charter document shall be proposed to theGovernance Group by providing the written amendments for the Group toconsider.  After sufficient time fordiscussion and debate, the Group shall vote on the written amendments.  Participation of all Governance Group members, orappointed substitutes, shall be required for a vote on charter amendments toproceed.   Passage of anamendment shall require a vote of 2/3 of the complete membership of theGovernance Group in the affirmative.  Changes to the charter will be reflected in a new draft ofthis document, with a recording of the date of revision.  An archive will be kept of all officialprevious versions of this charter.

ISDS Board Director John Brownstein and ISDS member Rumi Chunara discussed the use of social media to track the outbreak of infectious diseases in a recent CNN Health article entitled "Tracking Infectious Disease on Twitter". Working with HealthMap.org and researchers at Harvard Medical School, Brownstein and Chunara described the results of using Twitter searches to analyze the 2011 cholera outbreak in Haiti.


This research found that the data derived retrospectively from social media outlets, such as Twitter, correlated with health ministry case reports. During specific times of the outbreak, such as the first incident of cholera, the social media data closely reflected the real outbreak. 


John Brownstein discussed the potential of using social media searches as a real-time tool that could influence the type of prevention used in future outbreaks. This type of disease tracking may be particularly useful in resource-poor setting like Haiti, where it is difficult to collect a lot of data early on during outbreaks.


Read the full article on the CNN Health website. 

The deadline to submit letters of intent (LOI) for the BioSense Program Challenge Grant is this Friday, January 13th. You may find more information about this project, eligibility, and specific requirements for the LOI by reading the information below taken form the BioSense Community Forum or by reading the pdf document BioSense 2.0: Challenge Grant Opportunity Announcement and Call for Letters of Intent.The announcement and call for LOI outlines the instructions for the letters of intent as well as the letter template. Using the template provided, the letters should be 1 to 2 pages and include the following information:1. Barrier or challenge being addressed; 2. Desired outcomes; 3. Project approach; 4. Estimated amount of funding requested; and5. Period of time required to complete project.Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your syndromic surveillance capabilities!The following is the December 22, 2011 BioSense Community Forum posting found here. Last week, the BioSense Redesign team announced a new Challenge Grant opportunity for the public health community.  In this section, we will share information about the application and review process, and provide updates on an ongoing basis.  Letter of Intent review and evaluationThe first step in the application process is to submit a Letter of Intent.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)will evaluate the letters of intent to ensure alignment with BioSense Program priorities.  Notification will be provided to all sites and jurisdictions that submit letters of intent. Applicants will receive 1 of 3 types of notification:1)      Invitation to submit a full grant application2)      Invitation to submit a full grant application with additional guidance to refine project3)      Rejection noticeFull grant application review and evaluationOnly those applicants who receive an invitation to submit a full grant application are eligible to apply.  Each grant application will be reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and scored against the evaluation criteria provided in the grant application instructions.Significant differences between scores will be discussed and reconciled at a review meeting.Final adjusted scores will be produced and award decisions will be made.TIMELINE

• Challenge Grant Opportunity Announcement and Call for Letters of Intent posted: December 14, 2011
• Letters of Intent due: January 13, 2012
• Letter of Intent review period: January 13, 2012 - February 3, 2012
• Notifications sent to all sites and jurisdictions submitting Letters of Intent: February 6, 2012
• Period for full Grant Applications closes: March 2, 2012
• Grant award decisions: March 30, 2012
• Grant project period ends: no later than March 30, 2013.

More Information
More information about the BioSense Program and BioSense 2.0 is available at: www.biosenseredesign.org or submit questions to info@biosen.se

The 2011 ISDS Annual Conference presentation slides are now available on the ISDS website. Follow this link to find the presentations and individual abstracts from the conference presenters: http://www.syndromic.org/annual-conference/2011/Session1. 


We are still in the process of maintaining approval to share several of the presentations, so check back within the coming weeks for more updates. 


*If you presented at the conference and would like to share your slides on the website, please email aschulte@syndromic.org with a copy of your presentation. 

The Syndromic Surveillance for Meaningful Use: Inpatient and Ambulatory Clinical Care EHR Data project is well underway. The Call for Meaningful Use Workgroup Nominations has ended and the workgroup has officially been chosen. ISDS received many qualified candidates for the workgroup positions during the call for nominations. It was difficult to select a few members from such an outstanding pool of nominees. Member expertise span multiple areas within public health, clinical care, and medical informatics. Many workgroup members hold prominent positions within the stakeholder community and currently work or have previously worked on national policy initiatives. These various perspectives in addition to stakeholder input will help ensure that a balanced and informed recommendation will be reached. To learn more about the various workgroup members, visit the Meaningful Use Workgroup page and view the workgroup bios (pdf).  
This 10-person workgroup is tasked with guiding the development of ISDS recommendations to support public health authorities in using Meaningful Use certified hospital inpatient and ambulatory EHR data for timely and effective public health prevention and response. These recommendations will build upon the ISDS Final Recommendation: Core Processes and EHR Requirements for Public Health Syndromic Surveillance, published on January 31, 2011.  You may view this recommendation here (pdf). You may also learn more about the current recommendation process by watching Charlie Ishikawa's November 8, 2011 introduction webinar here.  
More information on the first Meaningful Use Workgroup meetings and accomplishments will be coming soon. Until then, visit the project homepage for more information. 
If you have any questions, contact Charlie Ishikawa at meaningfuluse@syndromic.org or (617) 779-0886. 

View two recently published 2011 JSM Proceedings papers about the Distribute project. 
Analytic Evaluation of a Standardization Effort for the DISTRIBUTE Emergency Department Surveillance Project

• Howard Burkom, Donald Olson, Atar Baer, Marc Paladini, Debra Revere, Anne McIntyre

Generation of Prediction Intervals to Assess Data Quality in the Distribute System Using Quantile Regression

• Ian Painter, Julie Eaton, Don Olson, Debra Revere, Bill Lober

Title: Public Health Analyst Organization: International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS) Job Type: Full-time Job Location: Boston, MA Job Description: The International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and dedicated to the improvement of population health by advancing the science and practice of disease surveillance. ISDS’s membership represents public health professionals, healthcare providers, researchers, government officials, and others engaged in national and international health surveillance initiatives. To learn more about ISDS, visit www.syndromic.org.ResponsibilitiesThe ISDS Public Health Analyst will coordinate and assist with a major project to develop recommendations for public health use of electronic health record data from inpatient and ambulatory clinical care settings related to implementation of Meaningful Use regulations. Under the supervision of the Associate Director for Public Health Programs and in collaboration with ISDS team members, the Public Health Analyst will be responsible for a broad range of research and project administrative activities. Research activities include: conducting literature searches; qualitative and quantitative data management and analysis; assistance with writing reports and other products; and assisting with proposal development. Administrative functions include: preparing agendas and summaries for conference calls, meetings and symposia; coordinating meeting logistics; tracking project progress, deliverables, timelines, and budgets. Other duties as required. Some occasional travel required. Experience & Qualifications: ·       BA/BS with 4-6 years of experience, OR MS/MPH with 3 years of experience, OR the equivalent combination of education and experience. ·       Knowledge and experience of the principles, concepts, and business operations in public health and epidemiological research, practice, and policy·       Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative research methods·       Experience managing projects from initiation to completion·       Practical knowledge and experience in public health surveillance preferred·       Highly organized, detail-oriented, and deadline driven.·       Outstanding oral and written communication skills.·       Problem-solver with ability to work both independently and cooperatively as a team member in a fast-paced environment.·       Strong interpersonal skills with a positive, “can-do” attitude. Salary: Commensurate with experience and education. Contact: Applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, salary expectations, and one technical writing sample (max 5 pages) by January 13, 2012 to: careers@syndromic.org. Please put “PH Analyst” and your last name in the Subject line.ISDS requires pre-employment reference checks. ISDS is an equal opportunity employer. Website: www.syndromic.org

On behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RTI has released an announcement detailing the BioSense Challenge Grant Opportunity. The BioSense Program plans to award 10 grants ranging in value from $5,000 to $25,000 through RTI International. RTI has a contract with CDC (contract number GS10F0097L) to facilitate the redesign of the BioSense application and will administer the Challenge Grant award process.You may find more information about this opportunity by viewing the BioSense 2.0: Challenge Grant Opportunity and Call for Letters of Intent PDF document. Estimated Key Dates·         Challenge Grant Opportunity Announcement and Call for Letters of Intent posted: December 14, 2011·         Period for submitting Letters of Intent: December 14, 2011 - January 13, 2012·         Letter of Intent review period: January 13, 2012 - February 3, 2012·         Period for full Grant Applications closes: March 2, 2012·         Grant award decisions: March 30, 2012·         Grant project period ends: no later than March 30, 2013.
More InformationMore information about the BioSense Program and BioSense 2.0 is available at: www.biosenseredesign.org or submit questions to info@biosen.se

The polls have closed and the election results are in! On behalf of the ISDS staff, we extend warm congratulations to the newly elected and re-elected Board members:

Atar BaerAaron Kite-PowellJoe LombardoMarc Paladini
We are looking forward to the further contributions of these four Board members to ISDS. Visit the Board page on the ISDS website for the full listing of ISDS Board of Directors and their bios. 
Thank you to everyone who participated in this election!
If you are an ISDS member and would like to receive a copy of the monthly Board meeting minutes, please contact Amanda Schulte at aschulte@syndromic.org.

Cal PREPARE is pleased to announce the availability of funds to fund one New Investigator Award andtwo-three Pilot Project Awards for Public Health Systems & Services Research. The purpose of the awardsprogram is to establish a resource for new investigators, established investigators and doctoral students toembark on a new area of research. The program provides an opportunity to build capacity, developcompetency, and collaboration in different public health networks. (Awardees will have the ability toincorporate specialties, disciplines, and research techniques outside of traditional methods to public healthsystems research.) 



Our mission is “to conduct all-hazards research, training, and services that (1) improves the biosurveillancecapabilities of public health systems; and (2) improves the capability of public health and local communitiesto prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.” Withinbiosurveillance, we will focus on early warning, detection, and monitoring; causal investigations andinference; information and data management, tactical and targeted communications; and situationalawareness and decision support.


To implement our mission, we are conducting public health systems research projects in the followingareas:
Project 1: :All-hazards communication to improve the resilience of vulnerable populations;Project 2: Early warning, investigation, surveillance: Epidemiology networks in action (EpiNet);Project 3: Closing the chemical, radiological, nuclear gaps in public health all-hazards preparedness; and 
Project 4:Cal PREPARE Exercise Laboratory (EXLAB): Systems research using state wide operations-based exercises. 

For more information on deadlines and eligibility, visit: http://www.idready.org/2011calpreparefoa.htm. 

Join CDC & Dr. Buckeridge following the ISDS Meeting - Registration information enclosed ** SAVE THE DATE **
Frontiers of Public Health Informatics presents:“Evaluating surveillance and public health interventions in a SnAP”SpeakerDavid L. Buckeridge, MD PhD FRCPCDate/TimeDecember 9, 201111:00-12:00 ESTLocationCDC Roybal CampusDistance Learning Auditorium Register via this link: http://www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA50D6838849 There is an increasing demand to measure the impact of surveillance enhancements and public health interventions on outcomes. Direct measurement is difficult and can be performed only after surveillance systems are changed or interventions are implemented. The Simulation Analysis Platform (SnAP) was developed to measure the effect of public health innovations on outcomes. SnAP models uncertainty explicitly to allow researchers and decision-makers to estimate how surveillance enhancements and interventions are likely to affect health and economic outcomes. *****David Buckeridge is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill University in Montreal where he holds a Canada Research Chair in Public Health Informatics and directs the Surveillance Lab. He is also a Medical Consultant to the Montreal Public Health Department and the President of the International Society for Disease Surveillance. His research focuses on the informatics of public health surveillance and disease control. Dr Buckeridge has consulted on surveillance to groups such as the Institute of Medicine, the US and Chinese Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization. He has a M.D. from Queen's University, a M.Sc. in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical informatics from Stanford University. Dr Buckeridge is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada with specialty training in Public Health and Preventive Medicine. *****The Frontiers of Public Health Informatics Seminar is a platform for continued learning about public health informatics science. Join your colleagues to listen to renowned scientists who have demonstrated research and applications of informatics science to improve public health. Register above for Webinar and Teleconference Information / Available CDC-wide on IPTV *****Public Health Informatics and Technology Program OfficeOffice of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory ServicesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Point of Contact:    Rick Jones - rjonesII@cdc.gov

Thank you to everyone who has participated so far in this call for potential uses! We will continue to accept responses to the Call for Potential Uses of Public Health Syndromic Surveillance Data until Monday, December 12, 2011. 


Syndromic Surveillance for Meaningful Use: Inpatient and Ambulatory Clinical Care DataCall for Potential Uses of Public Health Syndromic Surveillance Data:
ISDS is seeking input from U.S. and international surveillance professionals to determine the primary public health purposes of public health syndromic surveillance (PHSS) and the data elements needed from inpatient and ambulatory clinical care settings. 


Submit your potential uses on-line here. 

All responses must be submitted using the online submission process by Monday, December 12, 2011 at 9pm EST.


Vist the Call for Potential Uses webpage and Meaningful Use webpage for more information. 


Questions: Contact Charlie Ishikawa, MSPH at (617) 779-0886, or via email at meaningfuluse@syndromic.org for more information. 

The ISDS staff previewed the Epidemiological Disease Investigation Game (EpiDig) today with some of the development team from the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. This was an exciting sneak peak at the game that will be presented and played at the Pre-Conference Workshop at the 10th Annual ISDS Conference on December 6th, 2011. 


EpiDig is a public health game developed by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory in collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission in which players become public health investigators attempting to solve a public health crisis. Those who attend Track 2: Using Gaming Tools to Train Disease Surveillance Professionals and Investigate Next-Generation Capabilities at the Pre-Conference will learn  how game-based tools can be used for training and technology evaluation and have an opportunity to play EpiDig themselves. 


Space is limited for this fun and engaging workshop, so register today!


For more information on the Pre-Conference Workshop tracks, visit the Pre-Confernce webpage. 

The following is a brief message from the BioSense 2.0 redesign team: 


BioSense 2.0 is open for business! For more info on how to join, please e-mail info@biosen.se. Click here for ongoing BioSense 2.0 developments and news updates. Twenty-first century surveillance is here!

The following is a message from Jim Buehler, MD, Director of the Public Health Surveillance & Informatics Program Office (proposed) within the Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. 

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to draw your attention to the posting for the position of Director, Division of Informatics Solutions and Operations (DISO) within the Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, & Laboratory Services (OSELS) at CDC. The URL for the posting is: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/300993300. Please share this message with colleagues who might be interested.

While the announcement lists the Division as being in the Public Health Informatics and Technology Operations (PHITPO), the Division will soon become part of the new Public Health Surveillance and Informatics Program Office, which will arise from the merger of PHITPO and the OSELS Public Health Surveillance Program Office (PHSPO). The merger acknowledges the critical relationship between surveillance and informatics while emphasizing that the role of public health informatics extends well beyond surveillance. The mission of this new office will be to advance the science and practice of public health surveillance and informatics.  We will do that by:


 *   Managing several large national surveillance programs, including the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, BioSense, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System;
 *   Providing leadership and services that support the surveillance and informatics infrastructures for public health at local/state and national levels; and
 *   Serving as a “home” at CDC for addressing cross-cutting issues in surveillance, including biosurveillance as part of emergency preparedness, and informatics practice.

As a Program Office, we will have a unique vantage at the crossroads between CDC and its constituents in local, state, and territorial health departments, other federal agencies, and partner organizations in addressing the spectrum of issues that affect public health surveillance and informatics practice.  While our primary focus is on domestic issues, we will also have a role on the global stage.

A critical function of our new office will be to continue and strengthen the leadership role that PHITPO, as well as PHSPO, has played in advancing the Meaningful Use of electronic health records for both healthcare and population health objectives.

The Division of Informatics Solutions and Operations is responsible for providing informatics and information technology services that support not only the surveillance systems within the Program Office but also infrastructures that support surveillance and other program services across CDC and in state and local health departments.  We are seeking candidates who can provide scientific leadership in the field of informatics, lead and manage an interdisciplinary team of federal employees and contract staff in the federal government environment, oversee the management of large and complex information technology contracts, and embody OSELS’ commitment to service on behalf of CDC’s mission.

For additional information about the position, contact information is provided in the position announcement. Thanks very much for your interest and support.

Jim


James W. Buehler, MD
Director, Public Health Surveillance & Informatics Program Office (proposed)
Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, & Laboratory Services
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

The following is an important message from the BioSense 2.0 Team:



In just a few days, BioSense 2.0 will be open for business! Thenew environment is the result of your feedback on design features, specifications,and data needs…and one thing is for sure… we’ve heard you loud and clear duringour requirements gathering activities.  Thenewly designed and developed BioSense 2.0 has many features suggested by users.We also know that our users need technical assistance (TA) that is robust andefficient.  We’ve not only heard you, butwe’ve built a comprehensive technical assistance framework for easy TA accessand navigation. 
The TA framework features a web-based tool to track and manageTA requests ensuring that all requests are resolved in a timely manner. Technicalassistance questions and requests can be submitted through a variety ofchannels, including info@biosen.se. Sincethe rollout is just days away, we’re finalizing TA tools and resources toassist with the launch and any on-boarding needs (including DUA completion anddata sharing links) users may have. As the system matures, we anticipate thatTA needs will shift to a more traditional form of direct support for users andcreative uses of the system (i.e., Challenge Grants).
For additional information, please take a moment to view ournew FAQsor simply visit the BioSense Redesign CollaborationSite where you can contribute to RequirementsGathering Posts; sign up to be an editor for the coverage map, read ourmost recent community forum posts, or subscribe to our RSS feed for updates.Please send comments to info@biosen.se.

Syndromic Surveillance for Meaningful Use: Inpatient and Ambulatory Clinical Care Data

Call for Nominations to Meaningful Use Workgroup:
Due to requests for an extended deadline, nominations to the Meaningful Use Workgroup will be accepted until Wednesday, November 16, 2011. 


ISDS is seeking nominations for members of a new 10-person Meaningful Use Workgroup with various stakeholder perspectives and expertise in public health practice and medical informatics. This workgroup will guide the development of ISDS recommendations to support public health authorities in using Meaningful Use certified hospital inpatient and ambulatory EHR data for timely and effective public health prevention and response. 


For more information about the workgroup and the nomination process, visit the workgroup webpage.
New extended deadline:Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Call for Potential Uses of Public Health Syndromic Surveillance Data:ISDS is seeking input from U.S. and international surveillance professionals to determine the primary public health purposes of public health syndromic surveillance (PHSS) and the data elements needed from inpatient and ambulatory clinical care settings. 
Submit your potential uses on-line here.
All responses must be submitted using the online submission process by Friday, November 18, 2011 at 9pm EST. 
Visit the Call for Potential Uses webpage for more information.
Questions: Contact Charlie Ishikawa, MSPH at (617) 779-0880, or via email at meaningfuluse@syndromic.org for more information.