In the aftermath of September 11th, 2001, the potential for subsequent bioterrorism attacks and more recently, the increased awareness of the threat of Avian flu and other communicable diseases, has compelled the Montana healthcare community to mobilize its diagnostic resources for detecting the presence of toxins or infectious biologic agents at the earliest possible moment. This state-wide, pilot initiative integrates disparate Emergency Room data, making patients’ symptoms and diagnoses available for biosurveillance and achieves interoperability among Montana’s emergency facilities.
Objective
This oral presentation describes a multi-agency and multi-center medical data integration system for syndromic surveillance in the State of Montana. This is a significant public health benefit given the recent threats of bio-terrorism and potential viral epidemics, including Bird-Flu.