Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement Program
Funding Initiated In 1998

FY05 Funding July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 - $368,220

Activities Proposed for FY 05

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

Key Performance Indicators

Food Safety

• Staff responsible for the investigations of foodborne outbreaks will participate in at least 10 hours of continuing education and training related to foodborne outbreaks.
• Within 5 days of initial outbreak detection, the foodborne epidemiologist will post preliminary information in EFORS.

Hepatitis Prevention and Control

• Develop a 6 hour curriculum and trainee list.
• Deliver at least one training by March 2005.

Influenza Surveillance and Response

• The Sentinel Program was expanded from 14 to 19 clinical providers distributed widely by geographic location and specialty.
• Vaccination rates are reportable annually by June 30 of every year from Long Term Care facilities by law and regulation. Our influenza epidemiologist will coordinate data collection.

National Electronic Disease Surveillance System

• Rhode Island will review and document any changes to their processes and work flow for ELR, morbidity reports and manual labs, notification and reports.

West Nile Virus

• Epidemiology and Laboratory staff will meet to review protocols for conducting WNV surveillance.
• WNV epidemiologist will review and revise the current case report form to collect information regarding suspected cases of WNV and other arboviruses.
• The state epidemiologist will refresh and cross-train the Epidemiology staff on the case definition, case report form, and protocols and procedures related to WNV.
• The Consultant Public Health Nurse in charge of the Epidemiology Program will enlist the aid for hospital infection control practitioners in a system of enhanced passive surveillance.

General Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity

• Timely conferences will assess efficiency.

Contact Information and Links

Utpala Bandy, MD, MPH
State Epidemiologist
RI Department of Health
3 Capitol Hill, Room 106
Providence, RI 02908

Rhode Island Department of Health: http://www.health.state.ri.us/