National Electronic Disease Surveillance System
Overview  |
Status |
NEDSS BASE System |
NEDSS Messaging Solution |
NEDSS Messaging Solution (NMS)
The NEDSS Messaging Solution (NMS) is a CDC-sponsored project whose goal is to establish a self-sustaining network of stakeholders dedicated to the adoption of electronic messaging between public health partners (commercial entities, local, state, and federal). The primary components of this project include:- NEDSS Message Subscription Service (software)
- Training and technical support
- Collaboration via User Group meetings and SiteScape web site
- Template and other MSS technical artifacts sharing
- Funding to states via the CDC ELC cooperative agreement
NEDSS Message Subscription Service (MSS):
The MSS is based on two major software components: Orion Rhapsody, a commercial Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) engine, and the NEDSS Brokering Tool (NBT), a CDC-built web component that enhances end user functionality and ease-of-use.
NEDSS project resources were used to purchase Orion Rhapsody. This COTS software may be requested from the NEDSS project, based on the following criteria: 1) the Rhapsody license will be used to expand and improve the efforts underway to integrate surveillance systems; 2) the state agrees to pay the annual $2,100 maintenance and support fee to Orion; and, 3) the state agrees to participate in an existing national collaboration User Support Group to share problems and solutions with other state partners using the MSS.
The NBT is an additional software program that CDC contractors developed to extend the Orion Rhapsody application. The additional functionality includes a dashboard that displays commonly-needed message activity metrics, a reporting component that provides additional message activity details, and a vocabulary mapping screen that supports mapping local codes to standard codes, standard codes to local codes, and local codes to local codes. CDC will make the NBT available at no charge to any NEDSS project that requests this compliment to Orion Rhapsody.
Training and technical Support:
The NEDSS project provides a free 5-day Rhapsody, NBT and PHIN-MS training class for local and state technical support staff. In addition, the NEDSS ELC cooperative agreement provides additional funding, upon request and approval, for the travel costs associated with the Atlanta courses now underway. Additional training materials, both written and electronic, will be developed and posted on the NEDSS SiteScape web site.
CDC also provides technical support for MSS deployment, PHIN-MS deployment, and technical questions associated with MSS and PHIN-MS usage.
Collaboration via User Group meetings and SiteScape web site:
Since October 2006, the NEDSS project, in collaboration with a state-based colleague, has hosted a biweekly webinar focusing exclusively on the MSS. These sessions cover multiple aspects of the NMS including use of Rhapsody and the NBT. Presentations from technical experts in several related areas are included. Documents and slide sets from these presentations are posted on the NEDSS SiteScape web site, a CDC collaboration workspace. The NEDSS SiteScape site also provides a forum for posted questions and answers associated with implementation of successful electronic messaging between public health stakeholders.
Template and other MSS technical artifacts sharing
CDC will provide MSS technical documents and templates that have multi-jurisdictional value. These documents and templates are posted on the NEDSS SiteScape web site. Other NMS participants may also post work products that may be freely shared with other NMS users.
Funding to states via the CDC ELC cooperative agreement:
The CDC NEDSS ELC cooperative agreement specifically includes support for proposals that request Orion Rhapsody, maintenance and support for Rhapsody, travel costs to Atlanta for free MSS training, and staff associated with electronic messaging between public health stakeholders.