It’s NOT Just a One-Way Street: Utilizing the PHINMS to Transfer Hospital ED Syndromic Data Back to Healthcare Facilities Y. Emily Cheng, MS; Himal Dhotre, MPH; Debjani Das, MPH; Dan Drociuk, MT Division of Acute Disease Epidemiology (DADE), South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) BACKGROUND AND DEFINITIONS PHINMS: Public Health Information Network (PHIN)1 Messaging System (PHINMS)2, initiated and supported by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). PHINMS contains two components: sender and receiver. A PHINMS entity (either a hospital or Health Department) can act as both/either a sender and/or a receiver. PHINMS allows for two-way communication. RESULTS South Carolina Developed Programs for PHINMS Auto Send (to automate sending process) Data Extract (to extract data for file-based analysis) Email Notification (to monitor for missing data) Self-issued Security Certificates (for PHINMS configuration) South Carolina Programs Benefits Two-way communication between hospitals and Public Health Easily configurable for different hospitals Good data storage and management Automated execution and easy monitoring Logs available for troubleshooting Easy adoption and customization for other states Successes Using PHINMS PHINMS Sender at hospitals – big success Easy to configure Senders Multiple streams and routes Automated process and monitoring Challenges Using PHINMS Competing priorities within hospitals Network/Firewall complications for Receiver Certificates maintenance issues PHINMS troubleshooting issues Figure 1: South Carolina Aberration Alerting Network (SCAAN) Receiving Queues Model 1 Transport Queues Email Notification (for missing data) PHINMS RECEIVER (V 2.6) PHINMS SENDER (V 2.6) PHINMS Outgoing Folder Model 3 Troubleshoot Data Extract (SS-extractDB) OBJECTIVES Describe the secure and reliable data transfer of syndromic data between hospitals and public health agencies using PHINMS. Describe South Carolina's development of customized computer programs including Auto Send, Data Extract, Email Notification, and Self-Issued Security Certificates. Auto-Send (SS-xx-autosend) sends raw data to DHEC 1. Hospital 2. DHEC receives and analyzes data Data Files For Analysis Data Feed Model 5 Data Analysis Internet HOSPITAL SC DHEC METHODS South Carolina’s system of syndromic data transfer is shown in Figure 1: Step (1): A hospital sends data automatically via our Auto Send program that retrieves data from either a local or network drive and generates the necessary information for PHINMS to send to SC DHEC. Step (2): SC DHEC receives data via PHINMS into a PHINMS database that is extracted by our Data Extract program for data analysis using EARS-SAS3. Step (3): SC DHEC sends hospital specific data and summary reports back to hospitals automatically via our Auto Send program. Step (4): A hospital extracts the data by our Data Extract program for their own data analysis or reporting uses. Our Email Notification program monitors the current data and sends email notifications for missing data. PHINMS is installed and configured with South Carolina’s self-issued security certificates. sends summary data and reports 3. DHEC sends summary data and reports 3. DHEC SS Output (Sum Data & Reports) SS Server (Data Analysis or View Reports) 4. Hospital receives data and reports Model 7 Data Extract (SS-extractDB) Auto-Send (SS-xx-autosend) Troubleshoot CONCLUSIONS The adoption of PHINMS has encountered challenges as well as successes. Challenges bring opportunities to develop novel methodologies, such as resolving issues with delivering hospital-specific syndromic data back to the hospital through the PHINMS. PHINMS has shown its potential to be the standard for data transfer of syndromic data. PHINMS is secure, reliable, cost effective, easily monitored and managed. The system will be a valuable tool for increasing the state and local hospital’s surveillance systems implementation. Email Notification (for missing data) PHINMS SENDER (V 2.6) PHINMS RECEIVER (V 2.6) PHINMS Outgoing Folder Transport Queues Receiving Queues Main Steps Syndromic Data Transfer Diagram Internal Steps REFERENCES [1] The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Public Health Information Network. http://www.cdc.gov/phin/ [2] The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Public Health Information Network Messaging System. http://www.cdc.gov/phin/phinms/ [3] The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The Early Aberration Reporting System. http://emergency.cdc.gov/surveillance/ears/ Contact Information: Y. Emily Cheng SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control 1751 Calhoun St. Columbia, SC 29201 Phone: (803) 898-0219 Fax: (803) 898-0897 Chengye@dhec.sc.gov