NC DETECT Disaster Modules Facilitate Efficient Population Monitoring

NC DETECT provides near-real-time statewide biosurveillance capacity to local, regional and state level users across NC with twice daily data feeds from 111 (99%) emergency departments (EDs) and hourly updates from the statewide poison center, as well as other data sources. In 2008 The NC Division of Public Health (NC DPH) formed a new Disaster Epidemiology Workgroup (NC DEW) to provide a comprehensive, integrated approach to disaster response in NC.  The NC DEW surveillance subgroup has worked to develop NC DETECT reports and functionality used during all types of disasters.  With these modules, users are able to estimate the magnitude and scope of health problems in disaster-affected populations, detect disaster-related outcomes and monitor trends of public health importance in the affected community. Both aggregate and record level reports are available to monitor acute illnesses, injuries, behavioral health, chronic diseases and medication management.  These keyword and ICD-9-CM-based reports are tailored to the specific disaster; e.g. acute illness reports in the hurricane module include respiratory and gastrointestinal illness as well as water and food safety threats, while acute illness reports in the heat wave module include dehydration and heat-related illness.  Report information can be used to assess levels of healthcare utilization in the affected communities, evaluate control and prevention efforts, monitor the safety of relief and recovery workers, facilitate planning and inform the overall response. In 2008, NC DETECT disaster reports have been used to effectively monitor the health effects of heat-related illness, the summer 2008 wildfire in Eastern NC, and Tropical Storm Hanna all without any additional data entry or manual tracking by hospitals.  The NC DEW surveillance subgroup has also standardized active surveillance forms for use in shelters and field hospitals; form data can be incorporated into NC DETECT for use within the disaster surveillance modules.