| Agency Description Requests GF/NGF appropriation and FTEs to establish a small cadre of epidemiology experts to apply informatics principles and provide real time analysis and response to surveillance, including bio-terrorism, pre-hospital and hospital data through the HIE, APCD data sources. This effort will strengthen the Commonwealth's preparedness and response capabilities in partnership with the Fusion Center. The NGF portion of the request will be provided from EMS revenues and federal epidemiological grants. VDH will be better positioned to apply its EMS, epidemiological and public health information systems expertise to the Commonwealth's preparedness capabilities. |
| Consequences of not funding/Justification This proposal supports the Governor's priorities to improve preparedness and response. It reflects an improved coordination effort of mandated surveillance activities. These positions will be part of the Office of Epidemiology’s Enhanced Surveillance team. The team uses traditional and novel data sources, along with evolving data integration, aberration detection and data presentation methods to monitor, detect and provide situational awareness regarding background health conditions and emerging health events. Improved efficiencies and effectiveness will be achieved through real-time/near real-time analyses and interpretation of patterns and trends.
The team would be integrated into the Office of Epidemiology’s Enhanced Surveillance team and lead by an epidemiologist. The primary role for the lead epidemiologist will be as a crucial member of and co-located in the Fusion Center, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Public Safety and Homeland Security and Veteran’s Administration. Further, these efforts will enhance VDH’s ability to fully utilize BioSense 2, a CDC-sponsored tool that rapidly integrates analysis of pre-diagnostic health data and other data sources across jurisdictions (states) to provide critical situational awareness and to present and interpret the information in a timely and meaningful way.
The other two informatics focused positions will enhance the agency’s ability to analyze data from multiple sources (including but not limited to HIE, APCD) and produce more timely, accurate and informative reports on the occurrence of conditions and events of public health importance. For example, the data from the APCD will enhance public health surveillance and improve population health through comparison of quality and efficiency of health care and its reporting to health care purchasers, employers and consumers, as well. In addition, analyses will assist in the evaluation and design of new models of care delivery and payment for same. The team would also analyze data available from communicable disease reports, emergency department and urgent care center data, school absenteeism reports, over-the-counter pharmaceutical sales, hospital discharges, and other available data sources to compile statistical information on the occurrence of diseases of public health importance, including potential acts of terrorism, outbreaks, clusters of concern, emerging events, and leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. The end result would be more timely public health information made available to a broader audience. This proposal was submitted at the Secretary's request and supports the Governor's priorities to improve preparedness and response. It reflects an improved coordination effort of mandated surveillance activities. No offset is required based on the Chief of Staff's criteria.
The collection and collation of information from the department's disparate data sources will continue to be a add on task for existing staff. This current practice slows the real time evaluation of information as it becomes available, inhibiting the department's ability to recognize and respond to public health threats whether natural or man-made. |