Use of automated ambulatory-care encounter records for detection of acute illness clusters, including potential bioterrorism events.

摘要: The advent of domestic bioterrorism has emphasized the need for enhanced detection clusters acute illness. We describe a monitoring system operational in eastern Massachusetts, based on diagnoses obtained from electronic records ambulatory-care encounters. Within 24 hours, ambulatory and telephone encounters recording patients with interest are identified merged into major syndrome groups. Counts new episodes illness, rates calculated health insurance records, estimates probability observing at least this number reported surveillance. Census tracts unusually large counts by comparing observed expected frequencies. During 1996-1999, weekly cases lower respiratory were highly correlated hospital admissions. This complements emergency room- hospital-based surveillance adding capacity to rapidly identify including potential events.