With the recent emphasis on public health preparedness, health departments are identifying new ways to prepare for emergencies. There has been a significant increase in the number of syndromic surveillance systems operating in recent years. These systems are based on real-time information from hospital emergency departments that is transmitted and analyzed electronically for the purpose of early detection of public health emergencies. Like other states, Rhode Island sought to enhance its traditional surveillance activities through the implementation of such a system. Rhode Island implemented the Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance (RODS) system, developed by the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Biomedical Informatics. Data from three hospitals were collected as part of the pilot implementation of the Rhode Island RODS system. Personnel at both hospitals and the Department of Health, trained in surveillance-related areas such as infection control and epidemiology, received access to RI RODS. As part of the evaluation framework, Rhode Island desired to assess system user attitudes and opinions towards the new system.
Objective
This paper presents results of a survey assessing syndromic surveillance system initial user satisfaction and attitudes regarding syndromic surveillance.