title: Estimating increased electronic laboratory reporting volumes for meaningful use:  implications for the public health workforce.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide formulas for estimating notifiable disease reporting volume from 'meaningful use' electronic laboratory reporting (ELR).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed two years of comprehensive ELR reporting data from 15 metropolitan hospitals and laboratories. Report volumes were divided by population counts to derive generalizable estimators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Observed volume of notifiable disease reports in a metropolitan area were more than twice national averages. ELR volumes varied by institution type, bed count, and by the level of effort required of health department staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health departments may experience a significant increase in notifiable disease reporting following efforts to fulfill meaningful use requirements, resulting in increases in workload that may further strain public health resources. Volume estimators provide a method for predicting ELR transaction volumes, which may support administrative planning in health departments.
authors.affiliation: School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN ; Center for Biomedical Informatics, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA ; Center for Health Information and Communication, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service CIN 13-416, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: P Joseph
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomedical Informatics, Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA ; School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN.
authors.forename: Shaun J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Grannis
keywords: Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; Computerized Medical Record Systems; Disease Notification; Health Information Exchange; Health Manpower; Public Health Informatics