title: Evaluating the Use of an Electronic Death Registration System for Mortality Surveillance During and After Hurricane Sandy: New York City, 2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the use of New York City's (NYC's) electronic death registration system (EDRS) to conduct mortality surveillance during and after Hurricane Sandy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for surveillance system evaluation to gather evidence on usefulness, flexibility, stability, timeliness, and quality. We assessed system components, interviewed NYC Health Department staff, and analyzed 2010 to 2012 death records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite widespread disruptions, NYC's EDRS was stable and collected timely mortality data that were adapted to provide storm surveillance with minimal additional resources. Direct-injury fatalities and trends in excess all-cause mortality were rapidly identified, providing useful information for response; however, the time and burden of establishing reports, adapting the system, and identifying indirect deaths limited surveillance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NYC Health Department successfully adapted its EDRS for near real-time disaster-related mortality surveillance. Retrospective assessment of deaths, advanced methods for case identification and analysis, standardized reports, and system enhancements will further improve surveillance. Local, state, and federal partners would benefit from partnering with vital records to develop EDRSs for surveillance and to promote ongoing evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Renata E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Howland
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Flor M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Betancourt
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Leze
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nicaj
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stayton
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matte
authors.affiliation: Renata E. Howland, Wenhui Li, Ann M. Madsen, Howard Wong, Tara Das, Flor M. Betancourt, and Elizabeth M. Begier are with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Leze Nicaj is with the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York. Catherine Stayton is with the Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Thomas Matte is with the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Begier
mesh_terms: D055867:Cyclonic Storms / Q000401:mortality*; D003644:Death Certificates; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors