Bioterror surveillance uneven from state to state

Twelve states still do not have a disease surveillance system that is compatible with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS), according to a report by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) organization. The report noted that while states are making progress preparing to handle an infectious disease outbreak or bioterrorism attack, there are critical areas, including the availability of biosurveillance systems, that also need to be better addressed. “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public’s Health from Disease, Disaster and Bioterrorism” is the fifth annual preparedness assessment by the TFAH organization. It provides state-by-state preparedness scores based on ten key indicators, including the practice of emergency drills, biothreat testing capabilities, and workforce surge preparedness. The twelve states which lack a NEDSS-compatible system include California, Connecticut, Arizona, Alaska and Minnesota, according to the TFAH assessment.

Seven states — Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia — met all ten criteria. Six states — Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Wyoming — earned the worst scores, achieving marks for just 6 of 10 indicators. “Health departments cannot protect people from existing or emerging health threats, such as new disease outbreak, like a pandemic flu, or a bioterrorist attack, without correct and pertinent information,” the report’s authors said. “The lack of timely and comprehensive data can delay the identification of and response to serious and mass emergency health problems.”

The report noted, however, that nonconforming states are making steady progress developing systems that meet requirements for NEDSS compatibility, with the majority currently meeting two of three key criteria: an Internet browser-based system; electronic laboratory results (ELR) reporting; and an integrated data repository. In 2004 only eighteen states were NEDSS-compatible. Other areas of major concern include the fact that seven states and the District of Columbia lack sufficient capabilities to test for biological threats and thirteen states do not have adequate plans to distribute emergency vaccines, antidotes and medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile. “There is little doubt that emergency preparedness health preparedness is on the national radar,” concluded Jeff Levi, director of TFAH. “But until all states are equally well prepared, our country is not as safe as it can and should be.”