Along with commensurate funding, an increased emphasis on syndromic surveillance systems occurred post September 11, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax attacks. Since then, many syndromic surveillance systems have evolved and have ever-increasing functionality and visualization tools. As outbreak detection using these systems has demonstrated an equivocal track record, epidemiologists have sought out other interesting and unique uses for these systems. Over the numerous years of the International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS) conference, many of these studies have been presented, however, there has been a dearth of discussion related to how these systems should be used on a routine basis. As the initial goal of these systems was to provide a near real-time disease surveillance tool, the question of how to most effectively conduct this type of routine surveillance is paramount.
Objective
To discuss how various emergency department based syndromic surveillance systems from across the country and world are being used and to develop best practices for moving forward.