Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
have also been greatly reduced with the real-time, Web-based
reporting tool.
3. More accurate and timely reporting has led to the early detection and
containment of outbreaks. This has not only protected the public from
illness but also has mitigated other potential negative impacts (e.g.,
s o c i o e c o n o m i c c o n s e q u e n c e s) a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i n f e c t i o u s d i s e a s e s p r e a d .
The surveillance system maximizes the efficiency of outbreak response
efforts by mobilizing response teams quickly and appropriately.
4. The implementation of CISDCP has improved the health care infrastruc-
ture in China, and also paved the way for technological networking
infrastructure in local medical institutions. In addition, it has increased
the computer proficiency of healthcare personnel nationwide.
10.3.4 experience Obtained and lessons learned
Many lessons were learned with these experiences with respect to manage-
ment and technology. These are summarized below:
1. Strong leadership and commitment from both the central as well as
local government is key to ensure a surveillance system's success.
Immediately after the SARS outbreak in 2003, the central Chinese
government proposed a plan to strengthen the country's public health
system; development of a public health information system was
given utmost national priority. Movements towards this health goal
were planned across all levels of the Chinese government. Moreover,
what was also essential to success of CISDCP development was that
both the central and local governmental treasury departments work
together to provide the funds for system development.
2. The platform design and utilization of standards in the system was
important to facilitate interoperability between CISDCP and other
systems. Previously, reporting processes at each level only considered
its own design and data standards, making data exchange between
some levels extremely difficult if not impossible. Developers were
successful in avoiding system isolation and the emergence of silos
with CISDCP.
3. The national Chinese CDC was careful to orient the new system
towards its aims for early detection of disease outbreaks and issu-
ing early warnings of public health emergencies. Focus was put on
requiring data collection of individual case data rather than county-
based monthly aggregate data. Also, reports were changed to be
transmitted via the Internet directly to the central data bank, located
and managed in Beijing at the national level. This change in work-
flow was successful to save time, resources, and information loss
due to upstream data transmission.
