Implementation of a New Electronic Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Surveillance System in Chicago, IL

Background: Chicago continues to be a high morbidity area for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Health departments have the legal and programmatic responsibility to collect and monitor local STD morbidity data.A well-functioning surveillance system is essential for prevention and control. Presently, the Chicago Department of Public Health is using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) surveillance system, STD*MIS, for syphilis surveillance/case management for high-risk Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis and HIV. Since CDC will no longer be supporting STD*MIS version 4.2, CDPH was prompted to seek a robust surveillance/case management system.

Methods: This is a retrospective description of the implementation of the new surveillance system, MAVEN, which started in March of 2015 when CDPH engaged key partners, including subject matter experts (SMEs).

Results: The CDPH MAVEN implementation team opted to build a surveillance system based on a model developed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.  Within eleven months, the Chicago surveillance system will be able to accommodate some functionalities such as: 1) web-based provider portal that can be accessed by registered entities, 2) built-in reactor grid, 3) interview record form wizard, 4) fillable templates for field records. The system will allow us to map facilities ordering tests from the laboratory portion to the facilities reference table in the model, allowing for the automatic routing of cases to the appropriate workflow based on the reactor grid. In addition to the surveillance/case management functionality, CDPH developed an HIV counseling and testing package for both internal and delegate agency use

Conclusions: A comprehensive and integrated approach is necessary at the planning stage of electronic surveillance systems. Several barriers were identified during the implementation such as inability to utilize Electronic Lab Reporting (ELR) functionality and to electronically transfer cases out of Chicago jurisdiction.