Efforts have been made to standardize and prioritize the description and evaluation of syndromic surveillance systems. Systematic information on the performance of existing systems can be used to assess and compare the value of these systems, and inform decisions regarding their use.
The Michigan’s Emergency Department Syndromic Surveillance System (MSSS) is an implementation of an early version of the Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance system developed by the University of Pittsburgh, which collects patient chief complaint data from emergent care facilities in real time. At the Michigan Department of Community Health the system has been in use since 2003. Alterations to the system and recruitment of data contributors have been ongoing. The primary stated purpose of the MSSS is earlier detection of outbreaks of severe illness, enabling a more rapid public health response and intervention to reduce the impact of public health threats.
Objective
This work describes key characteristics of MSSS and reports on its evaluation.