CDC updates evaluation guidelines for disease and injury tracking systems

CDC updates evaluation guidelines for disease and injury tracking systems

ArticlePress release
Health & Wellness
Diseases & Conditions
Contributed byLester Fahrner, MDMar 15, 2020

CDC updates evaluation guidelines for disease and injury tracking systems

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today the release of an updated version of the much-requested Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems, which was originally published in 1988. Since that time, rapid change in the information technology realm, with its considerable influence on public health practice, has necessitated an update to these guidelines.

"Good disease tracking by public health agencies helps protect people against health challenges such as outbreaks of infectious diseases like West Nile virus and tobacco use. Effective data collection and analysis is key to disease monitoring. These guidelines provide a framework for evaluating these systems in order to ensure useful and reliable data to direct public health action," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, CDC Director.

Dr. Stephen B. Thacker, CDC's chief epidemiologist, commented on the importance of public health tracking systems by stating, "Without functional systems to track disease and injury, our nation, as a whole, is less prepared to prevent or respond to epidemics and to monitor other important health trends. We urge states to use the guidelines to evaluate their systems."

An example of the application of the guidelines can be seen in a 1996 evaluation conducted by the Colorado Department of Health and CDC of that state's tracking system reporting hospitalized spinal cord injury cases. This evaluation yielded a model that utilizes multiple sources of data to improve the timeliness and accuracy of case identification. The model is important in making certain that all cases are identified and that the number of false-positive cases, and the resources used to track them, is kept at a minimum. With timely and accurate identification of cases, public health practitioners are better able to shape prevention strategies and target interventions in an efficient manner.

The updated guidelines describe various tasks involved in evaluating a public health tracking system and provide relevant standards to assess the quality of the evaluation activities. This information is valuable to a wide audience, including: public health practitioners; health-care providers; data providers and users; professional, private and non-profit organizations; and government officials at the local, state and federal levels.

For a copy of the updated Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems, please visit our website at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr//mmwr_rr.html.

CDC protects people's health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions by providing credible information on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national and international organizations.

Was this article helpful

On the Article

Lester Fahrner, MD picture
Approved by

Lester Fahrner, MD

Chief Medical Officer, DoveMed Team

0 Comments

Please log in to post a comment.

Related Articles

Test Your Knowledge

Asked by users

Related Centers

Loading

Related Specialties

Loading card

Related Physicians

Related Procedures

Related Resources

Join DoveHubs

and connect with fellow professionals

Related Directories

Who we are

At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.

© 2023 DoveMed. All rights reserved. It is not the intention of DoveMed to provide specific medical advice. DoveMed urges its users to consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions. Always call 911 (or your local emergency number) if you have a medical emergency!