Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement Program
Funding Initiated In 2000

FY05 Funding April 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006 - $1,153,300

Activities Proposed for FY 05

Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety, Hepatitis Prevention and Control, National Electronic Disease Surveillance System, West Nile Virus, General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

Key Performance Indicators

Antimicrobial Resistance

• Attendance at annual national convention.

Food Safety

• Survey those attending the epidemiology seminar in regard to future topics that would be of value to LHD personnel and other attendees.
• Prepare a one page summary of the information covered in each state laboratory site visit and highlight action items that need to be addressed by DCLS to improve area laboratory communications with that state.
• Monitor the number of samples tested using real-time PCR and the final determined serotype from the testing. DCLS will outline the algorithm used to select which specimens are forwarded for PCR and serotype testing.
• Ship 100 percent of the requested isolates to CDC and develop a database to identify and track shipments by the end of the second quarter.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Attendees will complete a competency exam to determine mastery of concepts, and also complete an evaluation to assist the Division in refining the course.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

• The ability of the system to consistently and reliably meet VDH surveillance needs for collection, review, analysis and transmission of data to CDC.
• Adoption and utilization by local health department nursing and epidemiology personnel efficiencies gained through electronic transmission of case reports by laboratories.
• Improved timeliness, completeness and accuracy of surveillance data.

West Nile Virus

• Surveillance program turn around time on sample collection, shipment to and receipt by the designated testing laboratory.
• Quality of data submitted by surveillance programs to VDH and the laboratories.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• Effectiveness will be evaluated on the ability of each facility to transmit reportable findings in HL7 messages that are incorporated into the NBS with a minimum of VDH effort and the institution of this reporting on a daily basis.

Contact Information and Links

C. Diane Woolard, PhD, MPH
Virginia Department of Health
Office of Epidemiology
P.O. Box 2448, Suite 516 East
Richmond, VA 23218

Virginia Department of Health: http://www.vdh.state.va.us/