title: Implementing syndromic surveillance: a practical guide informed by the early experience.
abstract: Syndromic surveillance refers to methods relying on detection of individual and population health indicators that are discernible before confirmed diagnoses are made. In particular, prior to the laboratory confirmation of an infectious disease, ill persons may exhibit behavioral patterns, symptoms, signs, or laboratory findings that can be tracked through a variety of data sources. Syndromic surveillance systems are being developed locally, regionally, and nationally. The efforts have been largely directed at facilitating the early detection of a covert bioterrorist attack, but the technology may also be useful for general public health, clinical medicine, quality improvement, patient safety, and research. This report, authored by developers and methodologists involved in the design and deployment of the first wave of syndromic surveillance systems, is intended to serve as a guide for informaticians, public health managers, and practitioners who are currently planning deployment of such systems in their regions.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Informatics Program, Division of Emergency Medicine, Center for Biopreparedness, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. kenneth_mandl@harvard.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Mandl
authors.forename: J Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Overhage
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lober
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mostashari
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pavlin
authors.forename: Per H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Gesteland
authors.forename: Tracee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Treadwell
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koski
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hutwagner
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Buckeridge
authors.forename: Raymond D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Aller
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grannis
mesh_terms: D023482:Bioterrorism; D003219:Confidentiality; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D006801:Humans; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health; D014481:United States