title: Partnering with a medical specialty society to perform online public health surveillance.
abstract: While accidental carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is common, it is felt to be largely preventable through targeted public education. Development of effective education programs requires accurate epidemiologic information about the condition. Many acute, severe cases of CO poisoning are treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) at hospital-based facilities staffed by members of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS). In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began sponsoring a UHMS proposal to use online reporting by UHMS members of cases treated with HBO2. This report describes development and implementation of the internet-based surveillance system, as well as its first year of operation. From August 2008 to July 2009, a total of 740 cases were reported by the 82 hyperbaric facilities participating nationwide. Extensive epidemiologic information about CO poisoning in the United States has been collected, and the utility of partnering with a medical specialty society for disease-specific surveillance demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Section of Hyperbaric Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. neil.hampson@vmmc.org
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hampson
authors.forename: Jeneita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Jacquelyn H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Clower
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Lindell K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult