Discuss the public health informatics data collection and workflow process that would be engaged in the collection of data used to notify public health officials of a possible outbreak.

Discuss the public health informatics data collection and workflow process that would be engaged in the collection of data used to notify public health officials of a possible outbreak.
we use
Hebda, T., Hunter, K. & Czar, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses and healthcare
professionals (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

ANSWER

Public Health Informatics Data Collection and Workflow Process for Outbreak Notification
Public health informatics (PHI) is the discipline that deals with the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information to improve public health. PHI plays a vital role in outbreak notification by providing public health officials with the data they need to identify and track potential outbreaks, and to take steps to prevent their spread.

The following is a general overview of the PHI data collection and workflow process for outbreak notification:

Initial data collection: PHI systems collect data from a variety of sources, including:

Electronic health records (EHRs)
Laboratory information systems (LISs)
Immunization registries
Syndromic surveillance systems
Social media
Public health surveys
Data cleaning and analysis: Once the data has been collected, it is cleaned and analyzed to identify potential outbreaks. This may involve looking for unusual patterns in the data, such as an increase in the number of cases of a particular disease in a specific geographic area or among a certain population group.

Outbreak notification: If a potential outbreak is identified, PHI systems are used to notify public health officials. This may be done through automated alerts, email, or phone calls.

Investigation and response: Once public health officials are notified of a potential outbreak, they will investigate to determine if an outbreak is actually occurring. If an outbreak is confirmed, public health officials will work to identify the source of the outbreak and to take steps to prevent its spread.

PHI systems can play a critical role in all phases of the outbreak notification process. For example, PHI systems can be used to:

Collect data from multiple sources in a timely and efficient manner
Clean and analyze data to identify potential outbreaks
Notify public health officials of potential outbreaks
Support outbreak investigations and response efforts
Example of a PHI Workflow for Outbreak Notification
The following is an example of a PHI workflow for outbreak notification:

A hospital EHR system detects an increase in the number of patients presenting with symptoms of influenza in a particular geographic area.
The EHR system generates an alert and sends it to the local public health department’s PHI system.
The PHI system analyzes the data and confirms that there is a potential influenza outbreak in the area.
The PHI system sends an automated email notification to the public health department’s epidemiologists.
The epidemiologists investigate the outbreak to determine its source and to develop response measures.
The PHI system is used to track the outbreak and to communicate information to the public.
Importance of PHI for Outbreak Notification
PHI is essential for outbreak notification because it allows public health officials to quickly and efficiently identify and track potential outbreaks. This is critical for preventing the spread of disease and protecting the public’s health.

Reference
Hebda, T., Hunter, K., & Czar, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses and healthcare professionals (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.