Use of a Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance System to Improve Influenza Like Illness Screening and Documentation in Emergency Departments during the H1N1 Pandemic

Abstract

Interventions introduced to increase ILI screening documentation exhibited a correlation with an improved documentation rate. Aggregated data across sites demonstrate that the greatest impact is associated with email reminders for recording ILI screening results, meetings on how to improve adherence and media broadcasts associated with the circulating pandemic influenza. When one site reliably reported a period of one-to-one nurse reminders to record the ILI screening result was analyzed, one of the strongest correlations to increased adherence was demonstrated. While the results suggest more direct interventions have a significant impact, further research to isolate which interventions had the greatest impact is warranted.