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How Missing Discharge Diagnosis Data in Syndromic Surveillance Leads to Coverage Gaps

Description

Indiana utilizes the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE) to collect and analyze data from participating hospital emergency departments. This real-time collection of health related data is used to identify disease clusters and unusual disease occurrences. By Administrative Code, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) requires electronic submission of chief complaints from patient visits to EDs. Submission of discharge diagnosis is not required by Indiana Administrative Code, leaving coverage gaps. Our goal was to identify which areas in the state may see under reporting or incomplete surveillance due to the lack of the discharge diagnosis field.

Objective:

To identify surveillance coverage gaps in emergency department (ED) and urgent care facility data due to missing discharge diagnoses.

Submitted by elamb on