The Evolution of the WHO/NREVSS Influenza Surveillance System: The Challenges and Opportunities that Accompany Electronic Laboratory Data

Mustaquim, Desiree

Also, surveillance epidemiologists in the ID have had to gain informatics proficiencies in order to interpret and troubleshoot the PHLIP system. Even routine analysis of the very detailed HL7 data is considerably more complex than analysis of data received using the earlier report methods (aggregate web/fax reports, .csv files). With more granular data, new surveillance questions arise that challenge the traditional ways of analyzing data, such as whether to classify the location of a case by using the patient’s state of residence, the submitter of the specimen’s location, or the performing laboratory’s information. These new dilemmas are a fine-tuning of the existing system rather than a major shift in analysis methods and represent new opportunities for data analysis.