Issue 4 - August 2002: MORE REASONS TO PERFORM SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE

_______________________________________________________________________

THE BENEFITS OF SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE – BEYOND BIOTERRORISM RECOGNITION

As the U.S. adapts to the realization that we must expand and surpass previous efforts to protect public safety, syndromic surveillance is clearly required if we are to recognize potential bioterrorist attacks. Fortunately, even in the absence of bioterrorism, syndromic surveillance provides benefits, such as rapid recognition of naturally occurring disease outbreaks.

In addition to these benefits, there are specific advantages to performing syndromic surveillance for the Infection Control (IC) Department in hospitals, as described below:

Find Reportable Diseases and Begin Isolation Sooner

Most IC Policy Manuals require the Emergency Department (ED) to notify IC when a patient with a possible reportable disease is seen in the ED and/or admitted. But, you've probably experienced the horror of finding an un-isolated R/O pertussis or measles on the unit several days after they were admitted through the ED!

With data mining of chief complaint and/or other symptom data, good software can capture R/O reportable diseases and provide IC with a report that includes patient name and number for immediate follow-up. Also, place TB patients in isolation more quickly, and identify unusual illnesses that need to be followed up by the health department

Saving Your Facility Money by Identifying Unwanted Trends

Identifying trends in your ED can save your facility money. One large medical center performing syndromic surveillance was dismayed to learn that patients with positive PPDs were coming into the ED for a chest x-ray, rather than going to the appropriate clinic. With the average Emergency Department visit costing several hundred dollars, this one discovery will more than cover the cost of the SS software. Not to mention, save the limited resources in the ED for the patients who really need them.

How else can savings be identified with good syndromic software? When the beginning of the influenza season is identified, your facility can release a well-timed press release. The release would indicate the typical course of disease, palliative measures, and treatment of influenza. Perhaps the number of ED visits for this reason would decrease and reduce your non-reimbursed costs.

Follow up with Emergency Department Staff

With access to Emergency Department data, alert staff can spot trends in emergency department visits that may warrant additional follow-up. With syndromic surveillance reports, IC or other assigned staff can open up a dialog with Emergency Department MDs and staff about interesting or unusual cases. "You saw 10 cases of gastroenteritis last night. That's twice the number we usually see. Did you note anything they had in common? Next time you notice something this unusual, please give us a call".

It's clear that knowledge of possible infectious cases in the ED provides hospital staff, e.g., Infection Control Practitioners, the ability to follow up on important cases, prevent nosocomial transmission of reportable diseases, save the facility money, and engage the staff in working towards the broader goal of improving public health.

Back to the top