H1N1 Data Collection Application

The Data Collection Application (DCA) is a web-based application that was designed and developed to support the emergency outbreak of H1N1. This application was developed to support the needs of the NCIRD staff and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during the influenza season or during a pandemic. The DCA provides six mechanisms for entering Influenza type data into a form depending on the lifecycle of the outbreak: a line list, an aggregate form, a case-based form, a hospitalization/clinical form, a pneumonia etiology study form, and a form to track ICU (Intensive Care Unit) capacity.

The initial phase of an outbreak is supported by the line list form (approximately 25 data elements). Data comes from the individual states and is imported or keyed into the line list form. As the outbreak escalates, the state response is migrated to the aggregate form. This form allows the states to key case counts by state and report data based on Laboratory Confirmed or Syndromic cases. Along with aggregate data submission, states are being asked to enter a minimum set of case related information. The case-based form allows a more detailed entry of each case and contains de-identified patient demographic data, clinical data, medical history, and diagnostic findings. As new developments arise and more specialized analysis becomes necessary the states have the capability to enter very detailed clinical information into the hospitalization/clinical form.

This module of the application collects data such as Facility, Vaccination History, Symptoms, X-Ray, Medication, Pathology, etc. This information will be used for case studies and analysis to better understand the scope and impact of the emergency. Two study related forms were developed for longer term study. One was the ICU Registration and Capacity form which was used to understand hospital bed capacity based on Influenza type illness. The second is a two year study of Pneumonia. The data for aggregated reporting can also be submitted via an HL7 message that is defined through the Novel Influenza A Message Mapping Guides, text file, facsimile, or called into Epidemiologists/staff accessible at the Emergency Operations Center (who then enter the data through the web interface). All data from any DCA database can be extracted into a CSV file or an Access database to be further analyzed by CDC or state Epidemiologists. Some of the data entered into the DCA will be available for GIS visualization through the ESRI visualization tool provided with the application