title: Increasing the efficiency and yield of a tuberculosis contact investigation through electronic data systems matching.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic health data may improve the timeliness and accuracy of resource-intense contact investigations (CIs) in healthcare settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  In September 2013, we initiated a CI around a healthcare worker (HCW) with infectious tuberculosis (TB) who worked in a maternity ward. Two sources of electronic health data were employed: hospital-based electronic medical records (EMRs), to identify patients exposed to the HCW, and an electronic immunization registry, to obtain contact information for exposed infants and their providers at two points during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 954 patients cared for in the maternity ward during the HCW's infectious period, the review of EMRs identified 285 patients (30%) who interacted with the HCW and were, thus, exposed to TB. Matching infants to the immunization registry offered new provider information for 52% and 30% of the infants in the first and second matches. Providers reported evaluation results for the majority of patients (66%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data matching improved the efficiency and yield of this CI, thereby demonstrating the usefulness of enhancing CIs with electronic health data.
authors.affiliation: CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Atlanta, GA, USA CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Atlanta, GA, USA jsanderson@health.nyc.gov.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sanderson
authors.affiliation: CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Proops
authors.affiliation: CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trieu
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Tuberculosis Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Tuberculosis Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, NY, USA Mount Sinai Roosevelt, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Polsky
authors.affiliation: CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Shama Desai
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ahuja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000379:methods*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient; D008297:Male; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D009519:New York City; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000635:transmission*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: contact investigation; electronic medical records; information systems; tuberculosis